A Whangarei man jailed for eight years for the kidnapping and aggravated robbery of a woman motorist has had his sentenced reduced on appeal.
Richard John Hoko, 53, was jailed for eight years in May after he was convicted by a jury on charges of aggravated robbery and kidnapping. Hoko had held a knife to a woman after he got into her car when she parked it in central Whangarei about 8.30am on August 18, 2014.
Hoko told the woman that he would not hurt her if she did as she was told and then tied her up, found her Eftpos card and demanded she give him the PIN number. He drove to an ATM and used the woman's card to withdraw $120.
Hoko drove the woman back to the Whangarei central business district, cut the straps from her handbag and used them to tie her hand to the gearshift.
He told the woman to wait in her vehicle until he had crossed the road and that if she left earlier he would cut her and if he saw her around town he would run her over.