A Whangarei man has lost his appeal against a sentence of nine-and-a-half years for robbing a local tavern and later participating in violent home invasions, targeting Asian families in Auckland.
Patarika Apiata, 22, was sentenced by the Whangarei District Court in August last year after pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated robbery, four of kidnapping and one for theft of a motor vehicle.
He was part of a trio with Andrei Panapa and Arena Duff who stole a vehicle then robbed the Onerahi Tavern of about $300 cash after threatening staff, and later drove to Auckland where they robbed two families in East Tamaki and North Shore after breaking into their homes.
Apiata filed an appeal against sentence in the Court of Appeal, arguing that the starting point of 10 years adopted by Judge Keith de Ridder was too high in light of a similar case known as Tiori involving home invasion and robbery.
His lawyer, Wayne McKean, argued that a starting point of eight years would have been adopted had the correct approach been followed.