Southland burglar gets lighter sentence after helping police officer

Shane Edward Hawkins came to the aid of a policeman during an arrest. Photo / 123RF

A burglar who came to the aid of a policeman during an arrest was not a nark, merely someone carrying out their civic duty, a court heard yesterday.

Shane Edward Hawkins, 39, appeared before Judge John Brandts-Giesen for sentence in the Invercargill District Court on four burglary charges, three charges of using a document for financial gain, and one charge each of receiving and failing to comply with Covid-19 regulations.

The offending took place on August 19 and 20 last year in Wyndham and Edendale.

Judge Brandts-Giesen said Hawkins and his co-offender broke into two cars and took debit cards, which were later used to buy fuel.

The co-offender realised he had left his phone in the car and when the pair returned to the scene to get it, the owner of the vehicles contacted police.

Defence counsel Scott Williamson said Hawkins had been highly co-operative with police at the time of his arrest, admitting what he had done and telling officers where they could find stolen items.

Hawkins had been on electronically monitored bail since August 23 and showed he would be suitable for home detention, as he had complied.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Penny Stratford said Hawkins had helped a police officer who was trying to arrest someone.

"Together they've managed to handcuff that offender and the result was the officer was on light duties for four weeks.

"It is quite possible the outcome could have been much worse had he not done what any decent citizen would do and which was gratefully accepted."

Judge Brandts-Giesen said it was not as a nark that Hawkins assisted police.

"What you have done is when an officer was under stress trying to arrest someone, you showed you were a decent citizen and you gave the officer assistance to affect an arrest. That of course needs to be recognised."

For the help he gave and for other factors relating to his childhood and upbringing, Judge Brandts-Giesen deducted eight months from his sentence, taking him under the threshold to be eligible for home detention.

He sentenced Hawkins to 10 months' home detention and ordered him to pay reparation of $169.77.