October 04, 2012

Drug-addicted mum jailed for pharmacy robberies

By David Clarkson

A drug-addicted mother-of-two who robbed two pharmacies, now wants to apologise to her victims as she begins a jail term of nearly four years.

Judge John Clapham expressed doubt that Liana Jaime Kahi, a 25-year-old prostitute, would have the chance to face up to her victims at a restorative justice conference.

?In my experience, people who are robbed are very reluctant to participate in such a process,? he said at Kahi?s sentencing in Christchurch District Court.

She has been in custody since her arrest in February. Since then she has pleaded guilty to charges of robbing pharmacies at New Brighton and Mairehau by using scissors as weapons, unlawfully taking two cars, breaching sentences of supervision and community work, and breaching her bail.

She also admitted damaging the electronic bracelet she was wearing while on bail earlier. She got an extra month in prison for that, bringing the total sentence to three years eleven months.

Defence counsel Serina Bailey had told the court earlier that Kahi had gone through drug withdrawal while in prison on remand and was feeling better. She had genuine concern for the victims ?now she?s in a good state of mind? and realised how traumatic the robberies must have been for them.

She was a mother of two, though the children were not in her care.

?She is an intelligent young woman, who is genuinely remorseful. That is reflected in her letter (to the court). She does worry about what she has done,? said Bailey.

Judge Clapham said there was ?a chill? about such offending that devastated people?s lives when they were going about their business at shops when they were confronted by someone with a weapon.

He said he was obliged to have regard for the victims? interests in imposing sentence, though Kahi now claimed to have grasped the impact of her offending.