The Kaimaumau man who burgled the Houhora Liquor Store at Pukenui (40 kilometres north of Kaitaia) on Christmas Eve last year, and gained national notoriety as the 'Buttcrack Bandit' courtesy of the unflattering security image that went viral on the internet, has been jailed for 18 months.
Lane Lewis Junior Toto was sentenced to a cumulative seven-month jail term on an unrelated conviction of assault with intent to injure when he appeared before Judge Greg Davis in the Kaitaia District Court yesterday.
According to the summary of facts Toto forced a door to get into the store, making two trips to his car with three boxes of Steinlager and two of cider. He subsequently told the arresting officer that he had not had any alcohol in a long time, and "suddenly got the urge".
Counsel Michael Powell said his client had stayed out of trouble for 14 months between the incident that led to the assault charge and the burglary (Judge Davis replying that the defendant had effectively been on the run).
Toto's culpability in terms of the burglary was not high, Mr Powell added, in that the premises were commercial as opposed to residential, there had been little chance of encountering an occupier, the defendant had not been after money and had been drunk. There had been "virtually" no element of premeditation.