Teen cries at robbery sentencing
A teenager who had not taken chances to address his synthetic cannabis addiction was jailed for over two years for the armed robbery of a convenience store, at the Christchurch District Court today.
Seventeen-year-old Dillion Connor McWhirter cried during his sentencing on charges of aggravated robbery and receiving stolen property.
Crown prosecutor Pip Norman said McWhirter suffered from substance abuse and an associated mental illness.
Defence counsel Kiran Paima said McWhirter had a limited Youth Court history, and a home detention sentence at a rehabilitation facility would help him.
Judge Alistair Garland said every effort to help McWhirter had failed because of his non-compliance, and his reports from probation and a psychologist were depressing.
He said on May 12, McWhirter was found in possession of a stolen mountain bike which he told police he had bought for $60. He said he had the feeling it had been stolen.
Then late on May 23 McWhirter entered the Metro Mart store in Colombo Street where the victim was closing up.
McWhirter placed some items on the counter then held out a knife and demanded money and cigarettes. He had cornered the staff member who told him the money was locked in a safe and it could not be opened. He also said he did not have a key to the till.
McWhirter dropped some of the cigarettes and saw the key as he was picking them up. He opened the cash drawer and took $200. He stuffed the cigarettes and the knife down his trousers, and ran out of the shop.
Judge Garland said McWhirter’s probation report said he was living in an abandoned building, and his daily focus was to obtain money, synthetic drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
He said McWhirter was assessed at a high risk of causing harm to others, and the report recommended a prison sentence.
McWhirter had been given opportunities to address his issues in the past, Judge Garland said, but he had failed to take advantage of them.
He said the items taken from the store McWhirter had visited frequently were worth $1711, but did not order reparation as McWhirter had no way to pay it.
He said McWhirter had used alcohol and drugs from a very young age in dysfunctional family circumstances, and he was using crime to fund his synthetic cannabis habit.
He did not believe McWhirter was genuinely motivated to reform yet, and was not persuaded that he would be helped by substantial reduction in his sentence so he could be admitted to a rehabilitation programme at Odyssey House.
He sentenced him to two years nine months prison
Category: Focus
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