May 07, 2008

Car torched after joyride

An 18-year-old youth has admitted his part in the torching of a car after it was unlawfully taken and used for hours of joyriding.

Joshua Eric Hill told the police the car was burnt so that they would not be able to find any fingerprints.

He admitted a series of charges at an appearance in the Christchurch District Court today, and Judge David Saunders remanded him on bail for a crown sentencing session on July 9.

Hill pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully taking cars, arson, driving while disqualified, possession of a firearm without a licence, breach of a sentence of supervision, and assault.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Berryman said Hill had a verbal confrontation and assaulted another driver in the city on February 24, causing the victim bruising to his eye socket, and grazes to his nose.

On April 12 he accepted a ride from an associate in a car he knew had been unlawfully taken. It was used around the Selwyn area for hours, doing skids and burn-outs before the pair set it on fire and left in another vehicle.

He went driving in two other unlawfully taken cars, including one belonging to his grandfather. He spent several hours driving around Selwyn shooting from a car at rabbits and cans.

When police caught him he said he ?probably needed psychiatric help because he did not know why he did these things?, said Sergeant Berryman.

Hill?s family was in court to support him, and defence counsel Jeff McCall said the youth had recently contacted Community Corrections and had seen a psychiatrist yesterday afternoon.

Judge Saunders called for reports on whether Hill was suitable for intensive supervision ? a sentence he has already breached ? or community detention or home detention.

He said these sentences would ?severely clip his wings?, and warned him that any breaches of bail would result in a remand in custody for sentencing.