'Ashamed' looter gets home detention

File photo / NZH

A man who burgled an earthquake-damaged and abandoned house on the day of the Christchurch earthquake has sent a letter of apology to the owners.

Jack Duckmanton, 20, had spent six weeks in prison since his arrest to start on his recovery from a serious drug addiction problem, defence counsel Donald Dickson told the Christchurch District Court today.

Judge Patricia Costigan said the pre-sentence report said he was ashamed and embarrassed of his actions and now understood the effect on his victims, and was willing to attend a restorative justice meeting with them.

The report said Duckmanton was showing a positive engagement and motivation in the rehabilitation programme.

It said he was remorseful and did not want to put his family through matters like these again, said Mr Dickson, telling the court about the letter of apology.

Duckmanton was being sentenced for two burglaries - one before the earthquake - and breaching a community work sentence he was given in June.

The judge said he did not have an extensive criminal history, and the report said he suffered from depression and anxiety, and using and depending on substances.

Duckmanton had already requested professional help for himself, and prison had helped him deal with his drug problem, which had given him a new awareness of how his actions had affected people, she said.

Judge Costigan sentenced him to four months' home detention with a requirement that he attend counselling for alcohol and drugs. She said formal intervention remained an important factor, and Duckmanton knew he could not rehabilitate himself.

She also imposed post-detention conditions for a further six months, and a reparation payment of $1397.

- NZPA