Month's jail for crowbar blitz

An unrepentant Ronald Setz has been jailed for a month after smashing up the front office of the Western Bay of Plenty District Council with a crowbar and breaking into the dog pound.

Setz, 52, told his lawyer and his probation officer that he did not regret what he did and "wouldn't do anything different" if faced with the same set of circumstances.

On the afternoon of November 17, Setz, who was engaged in an ongoing dispute over his impounded dog, armed himself with a large metal crowbar and went on a rampage smashing windows, computer monitors, the front desk and other electronics at the council office at Barkes Corner.

Setz had gone into the office at about 3.40pm to discuss the issue. The reception was manned by several staff at the time.

After becoming disruptive, he was removed by police and verbally trespassed. About 4.15pm, he returned and, after waiting until the office was empty of public, he put on gloves, took a crowbar from his car and entered the building again.

He then went on a smashing spree resulting in a total of 11 windows, five computer monitors, an Eftpos terminal, a telephone and the front desk being damaged beyond repair.

Setz then waited for police to arrive and arrest him.

The day before he used boltcutters to try to break out his dog from the pound in Te Puke.

Setz appeared before Judge Alayne Wills for sentencing in Tauranga District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to two charges of intentional damage, one each of unlawfully being in an enclosed yard and possession of an offensive weapon and breach of community work.

His lawyer, Kaye Davies, told Judge Wills that Setz had told her and the pre-sentence report writer that he was not remorseful and if the same set of circumstances arose he would do it again.

"Mr Setz has been described as a man who is a perfectly sane and rational person. He says he wasn't angry and this was quite a calculated act which he blames on his sheer frustration after his dog was taken. He just wanted council staff to know how he felt," Mrs Davies said.

She said Setz had offered to pay for his dog registration by cheque but when that was not accepted he left to get the money then thought about it and went back.

To his credit, she said, before carrying out this destruction Setz told the council staff to move back so they would not get hurt, and he waited for police to arrive.

"Unfortunately he is not willing to admit he is remorseful and tells me he wouldn't do anything different."

Mrs Davies said Setz was also not willing to be considered for home detention and asked for a sentence of community detention. However he recognised he had put himself in jeopardy.

Judge Wills said after reading all the material, including a long letter from Setz, she understood the background to his offending,

"But Mr Setz," she said, "there is a legal path to take in these matters and you chose not to take it and you know that."

Judge Wills said she was also aware of the difficulties Setz had been experiencing and the rehabilitative steps he had taken, which were to his credit.

"But the deliberate destruction of council property is serious offending and your lack of remorse and unwillingness to consent to home detention has left the court in very difficult position."

Judge Wills said community work was not appropriate and community detention was also an insufficient penalty for what occurred and that left prison as the only option.

Judge Wills ordered Setz to pay reparation totalling $10,153.67, which included $9492.42 for the damage to the council office.