Community work term for helping burglars
A 25-year-old who helped two “rat bags” use the roof-space of his apartment to burgle his neighbours while he was serving home detention has been given a community work sentence.
At Richard Hayes-Thompson’s sentencing in the Christchurch District Court for being a party to the burglary, Judge Robert Murfitt described the other offenders as “rat bags” and “ne’er do wells”.
Defence counsel Kirsty May had argued that the community work sentence could be imposed in place of a term of community detention.
Judge Murfitt noted that Hayes-Thompson still had “useful” post-detention conditions in place from the home detention sentence he had already served, and they would continue until December.
Hayes-Thompson was serving his sentence at an apartment in Richmond, Christchurch, when a television and other items were taken from a neighbouring apartment.
He denied involvement, but Judge Murfitt found him guilty at a one-day trial. He said Hayes-Thompson had assisted the burglars who visited his home by providing a tool that they could use to break through the roof space, and by later breaking a window in the neighbouring apartment to misdirect the police about the real point of entry.
But the judge noted that he had now made positive changes in his life. “You are no longer associating with these rat bags and you have started work as an apprentice.”
He imposed 150 hours of community work and made a formal order for reparation of $726 – it has already been paid.
Category: News
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