MacMillan pointed a gun at one dairy owner's head during his spree of robbing four dairies in three days. Photo / 123RF
MacMillan pointed a gun at one dairy owner's head during his spree of robbing four dairies in three days. Photo / 123RF
A judge has asked a young man who helped rob four dairies in three days if it “was worth it” for the small amount of cigarettes and cash he got in return.
Sam MacMillan left a trail of traumatised victims in his wake during a meth-fuelled crime spree that included stealing a car, taking money from a man at his home and helping rob four diaries - during which he pointed a gun at the head of one terrified store owner.
“For some cigarettes and money? You’re going to waste a lot of your time in jail ... [it was] a lot of harm for very little gain,” Judge Jane Farish told him in court today.
It’s not the 21-year-old’s first time before the courts. Last year he was given “an opportunity” by a judge who sentenced him to home detention on a variety of charges, including burglary and wilful damage, in the hope he would do well.
But during the period of his post-detention conditions, MacMillan went on a crime spree.
Tears were shed at the Christchurch District Court today as MacMillan’s fiancé, mother, nana and stepfather watched as he was sentenced to six years and two months’ imprisonment.
According to the summary of facts MacMillan and an associate went to a man’s house in Christchurch on May 9 last year, stood at the front gate and demanded $250 in cash, which they said the man’s stepson owed them.
When the man refused to give up the money and said he would call the police the pair said “if you don’t pay the money we are going to [the stepson’s] house to f*** everyone up.”
Fearing for his grandchildren, who were 3 and 8 and lived at his stepson’s address, the man handed over the money. It was the remaining portion of an inheritance he had received.
A month later MacMillan and three others stole a Mazda Capella parked on the side of the road in Bryndwr, Christchurch, for the purpose of committing robberies.
MacMillan, who was forbidden from driving, acted as a getaway driver while his friends robbed a dairy with their faces covered and rushed towards the owner. The owner managed to activate the fog cannon before anything was stolen and the foursome fled the scene.
Around 20 minutes later MacMillan drove his friends to another dairy where they stole cigarettes valued at $5000 and threw a glass jug at the occupant before fleeing.
Two days later, MacMillan and his friends went to a third dairy and MacMillan pointed a gun at the owner’s head in an attempt to keep him away from the fog cannon. The foursome fled once again when the dairy owner tried to grab the gun off MacMillan.
The same morning, they visited a fourth dairy. MacMillan was armed with a hammer while another had the gun and shot at the occupant of the store as she tried to lock herself in the office.
MacMillan used the hammer to smash a small stool as he entered the dairy and the group stole cigarettes, tobacco and lighters before leaving.
The stolen Mazda Capella was hidden at an associate’s address and severely damaged as the group removed and sold parts such as the radiator.
Defence lawyer Michael Sandom said MacMillan was a “product of his past” as he has dealt with a long history of addiction and was under a “firm grip” of methamphetamine during the time of his offending.
Judge Farish said the sentencing needed to tell MacMillan and his peers how the court sees this “serious offending” which was important in today’s climate with a lot of young people committing offences.
“You’re in adult court and there are very serious consequences to these offences ... it will not be tolerated within the community.”
“It will be better for you and better for the community as a whole if you stop now.”
MacMillan was sentenced to six years and two months' imprisonment for his role in aggravated robberies in Christchurch. Photo / George Heard
Judge Farish said all five victims were extremely vulnerable as MacMillan went to one’s house and others’ workplaces.
“They work really hard these people. They’ve put all their life savings and energy into these businesses. They work extremely long hours to make a living.”
“You completely traumatised them.”
As a teenager, MacMillan was placed in state care before going to live with his stepfather where he began consuming alcohol and cannabis at a young age before graduating to MDMA (known as ecstasy) and then meth.
Judge Farish noted MacMillan had enrolled in courses while in custody which he was doing well in.
“It’s probably quite a sad reflection that if you had all of that early on you wouldn’t be in the position you are in today.”
She gave MacMillan discounts for his guilty pleas, his upbringing tainted by drug addiction with a further discount to reflect he is still a young person.
