Laid-back attitude from wine burglary victim

By David Clarkson

A Christchurch burglary victim took a philosophical approach to the loss of his wine from an earthquake-damaged house in Edgeware.

His comments in a victim impact statement were given at a Christchurch District Court sentencing for 18-year-old Springston youth, Benjamin Henry Cameron.

The Edgeware property was apparently burgled several times. Cameron carried out one of those raids and took three bottles of wine and two bottles of spirits.

Judge Russell Callander quoted from the owner’s statement. “He hopes that the offenders enjoyed it. Not many victims of crime take such a benevolent approach.”

Cameron had admitted burglary, theft, breaches of community work and supervision, obtaining by deception, dangerous driving, and failing to stop.

He had been charged with 10 offences over a six-month period last year, when defence counsel Alistair James said Cameron was struggling with binge drinking and drug use – including cannabis and methamphetamine – which he was stealing to support.

Cameron committed the offences when he was aged only 17. His parents have reported an improvement in his behaviour since he has been back at home and working on their farm.

Judge Callander said he would only impose a six-month home detention sentence because he believed longer sentences were counter-productive for young men. They tended to breach longer sentences.

He also imposed six months of post-release conditions for Cameron to attend rehabilitation programmes as directed, and disqualified him from driving for nine months.

He also ordered Cameron to pay reparations totalling $7246 at $50 a week.

The judge said Cameron’s problems arose from “alcohol, drugs, and bad, anti-social mates”.