Long jail term for shotgun hold-up at Merivale
A 20-year-old who held up the Merivale TAB with a sawn-off shotgun was jailed for five years six months at his Christchurch District Court sentencing.
Joel Alex Pedersen had a ski mask over his face and carried a sawn-off 12-gauge shotgun when he entered the TAB on September 4.
He forced a woman staff member into an office area to try to gain access to two safes but was unsuccessful.
The woman read a victim impact report at the sentencing session today, and said she suffered a sprained left knee needing physiotherapy from kneeling in front of the safes. She said the TAB Board had paid for counselling, but she had not been able to return to work, she had anxiety attacks, and constant nightmares.
She hoped Pedersen would get the help he needed while in prison, she said.
Pedersen was sentenced on charges including unlawful possession of a firearm, being intoxicated in charge of a firearm, possession of a cannabis pipe, fraudulently using a credit card, unlawfully taking a car, and aggravated robbery.
Defence counsel Andrew McCormick gave Judge Gary MacAskill a letter from Pedersen, and had three letters of apology for the victims of his offending.
He said Pedersen was remorseful, and realised the impact of his offending on the victims.
Pedersen had drug addiction issues which led to the offending, he said.
Judge MacAskill said on the same day as the armed robbery, Pedersen and a friend broke into a car and used it to drive to the TAB, where the friend, who was driving, stayed in it.
Pedersen left the TAB with $1842 taken from the front counter till.
The credit card fraud occurred in Hamilton when Pedersen agreed to paint a house for the owner who had limited mobility.
He offered to do some shopping for her, and she gave him her eftpos card and number.
The next day he offered to get more shopping for her but used the card to buy himself cigarettes, then withdrew $1700 from an ATM with it.
He told police he used $1000 to pay off a drug debt and $700 to get himself to Christchurch.
Judge MacAskill said the offending had a severe impact on the victims, and the armed robbery was a very traumatic experience.
Pedersen had previous convictions for six burglaries, unlawful possession of a knife, and threatening to kill a person.
He noted Pedersen had attended drug and alcohol courses, and sentenced him to five years six months prison, and to pay reparation of $3720.
Category: News
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