Kerre Woodham: Burglar shamed himself

Remember the would-be burglar who was tackled and hog-tied by the elderly members of a Christchurch petanque club?

Clinton Dearman was sentenced this week, and his lawyer asked that the humiliation Dearman suffered be taken into account when the judge handed down the sentence.

I'm hoping the lawyer made the plea tongue-in-cheek, but I fear not.

Michael Knowles told the court his client had been the laughing stock of inmates in prison and he'd never be able to hold his head up in criminal company again after being pictured in the media hog-tied and surrounded by the stroppy seniors.

He said his client felt he'd been given an unduly harsh time and it wasn't fair because it wasn't like he was a murderer or a sex offender.

Judge Crosbie rejected Knowles' submission and told Dearman he'd brought his humiliation upon himself.

I wish the judge could give a talking-to to some of my talkback callers this week.

A couple of P-users rang to say they were sick of being stigmatised as violent offenders, and not everybody who used P would turn into a dirty, filthy, murdering rapist.

I couldn't believe their whining self-justifications. Of course not all P-users turn violent, but a lot do. You lie down with dogs, you get fleas.

The concept of individual rights has surely gone too far when Class A drug-users complain about their image.