Five year jail term for 'cowardly' robberies

A man's "cowardly offending" in robbing three dairies brought a 5-1/2 year jail term from Judge Graeme Noble in Christchurch District Court today.

Charles Malcolm Duane Muir, an unemployed 28-year-old with a background of drug and alcohol problems, carried out the Christchurch robberies while armed with a metal bar and a heavy gate hinge that he found in the back of a vehicle he stole.

The dairies were in Halswell, Colombo St, and Prebbleton.

He got away with a few hundred dollars in cash, and cigarettes.

Defence counsel Elizabeth Bulger said the yield was tiny compared to the years he would spend in prison.

He had a long history of offending - the judge counted more than 100 convictions - but Miss Bulger said he had been unable to get the assistance or support he needed.

Judge Noble said it had been cowardly offending because the shops were isolated and vulnerable as they were likely to have a lone attendant.

The dairy owners were left fearful and anxious and some were wondering whether to carry on in the business.

Muir had pleaded guilty to the three armed robberies, taking the vehicle, and stealing a cycle helmet and mountainbike worth $840 when he took it for a test ride.

- NZPA