Teen liquor shop robber may face adult sentencing
A 16-year-old who has admitted the violent robbery of a liquor shop in Woolston may face sentencing in the adult court where a prison term could be imposed.
The teenager has continued automatic name suppression because his case remains before the Youth Court while Crown and defence make legal submissions and the case is argued before a judge on November 17.
The robbery on August 29 involved full bottles of alcohol being smashed over the head of the shop assistant who intervened to stop the youths stealing the liquor.
The Crown is now arguing that the Youth Court should decline jurisdiction and send the teenager to the District Court for sentencing where a jail term can be imposed. The police wanted that outcome for both young offenders involved in the robbery but the Crown supported only one application.
The other offender, aged only 15, has stayed in the Youth Court jurisdiction after his appearance today, and has been sentenced to six months’ supervision with residence – the toughest sentence the Youth Court can impose without sending a case to the District or High Court.
That teenager will do six months of residence at Te Puna Wai, the youth justice facility at Rolleston. Judge Jane McMeeken told him when she imposed the sentence today that she would consider his early release at a hearing on February 23.
She told both youths that they were looking so much better after remands in custody away from drugs and alcohol. Both are heavily involved in sports programmes and the 16-year-old – in custody in Palmerston North – has been chosen for representative league and volleyball teams.
He admitted getting involved in an incident yesterday and being put into secure custody for a day. Judge McMeeken urged him to behave during the remand so that at the hearing next month the court would hear only positive things about him.
“How does it feel to be not using drugs and alcohol?” the judge asked.
“Better,” the teenager replied.
Crown prosecutor Deidre Orchard said the Crown was concerned about what would happen at the end of the 15-year-old’s sentence of supervision with residence. He needed to be placed somewhere that “structure and discipline” was going to be imposed on him. “It is wishful thinking that it can happen at home,” she said. After an earlier release he had taken to failing to attend school, running away, and drinking with friends within a week, and being involved in serious offending within three weeks.
Judge McMeeken told the youth that he had some really good qualities and the potential to do really well, but he had to make some dramatic changes.
She said: “You are such a young man. Being involved in some really serious crime doesn’t have to define you. It doesn’t mean that’s your life. But we can’t have people out there who are thinking that it is okay to harm innocent people.”
A third offender who is aged 17 is already being dealt with in the District Court. Tamatea Lorenzo Briggs has pleaded not guilty to the charges of robbery and intentionally injuring a man and elected trial by jury. He is due for a case review next month.
Category: Focus
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