Jail time mounts up for Post Shop robber
A 36-year-old man has had four years added to a current jail term, after admitting the armed robbery of the Phillipstown Post Shop and Pharmacy last October.
Damian Aaron Anderson was recalled to prison to serve more of an existing jail term which has a sentence end-date of February 2018. The extra four years imposed at his Christchurch District Court sentencing today is on top of that sentence.
Anderson, who said he felt sick after committing the knife-point robbery, was read the three-strike warning for repeat violent offenders.
Defence counsel Paul Norcross said Anderson was sentenced on a raft of offending last October, and recalled to prison for offending from 2011, which meant his release date on those charges was February 2018.
He said when Anderson did the aggravated robbery he was in a desperate situation, living rough and sleeping in a car. He hadn’t slept or eaten for some days and was depressed.
Crown prosecutor Aja Trinder said Anderson’s targeting of the post shop was because the potential gain would be higher.
He said he waited until only staff members were present in the store, but there was someone he pushed past to get in, she said.
Judge Paul Kellar said Anderson had 82 previous convictions for dishonesty offending.
He said there was a degree of planning and premeditation to the offending, he drove to the shop, had a long knife, and was disguised with a hooded top and dark sunglasses.
The woman victim who handed $785 cash to him was having profound long-term effects from the armed hold-up Judge Kellar said.
Anderson’s pre-sentence report said he was a high risk of further offending and a high risk of harm to others.
Anderson told the report writer he was stealing to make up for lost time in prison, and said he was not confident he wouldn’t reoffend when released.
Judge Kellar said Anderson had no support in the community after he had stolen from his employer and family members.
He sentenced him to the further four years, but did not order reparation for the money taken as he said Anderson was going to be in prison for many years.
Category: News
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Connect
Connect with us via: