Teen jailed for robbery of sex client
A teenager and mother who was working as a prostitute has been jailed for the robbery of a sex client.
Kirsten Jessie Holmes was just 17 when she was arrested for the incident in Riccarton on February 23, 2014.
She has ended up in custody during repeated attempts to sentence her – four pre-sentence reports were prepared on the case – after committing 11 more offences while on bail.
Christchurch District Court Judge Paul Kellar jailed her for one year four months but gave her leave to apply for release on home detention to attend the Salvation Army’s Bridge rehabilitation programme when a place becomes available in November.
Defence counsel Karen Feltham said the remand in custody for sentence had meant that Holmes was now “clean” of the opiates that had been poisoning her over the last few years.
She was seeing things “with some clarity now” and had had no more contact with her former associates. Holmes’ long term goal was to have contact with her baby daughter, who was now in care. “She knows the only way to get contact is by being clean of drugs and becoming more useful to society.”
Holmes had admitted charges of aggravated robbery, shoplifting, dishonestly using credit cards, theft, and possession of morphine.
Judge Kellar said the prospects for Holmes’ rehabilitation were high.
He said the robbery victim had arranged by text messages to have sex with her at a Riccarton address while she was working as a prostitute.
The victim didn’t have enough cash, so he went to an automatic teller machine. Back at the house he was confronted by two co-offenders. During the intimidation that followed, he handed over Indian rupees worth about NZ$200 and a $10 Singaporean note.
All of the man’s property was recovered, but Holmes was ordered to repay losses from her other offending. That amount was not finalised at the sentencing.
Judge Kellar said there had been an alcohol and drug assessment of Holmes while she had been on remand. She had a history of drug abuse from a young age.
Category: News
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Connect
Connect with us via: