Home decor is criminal

A Hamilton woman who furnished her home with property she burgled from another house was yesterday sentenced to 250 hours community work and ordered to pay for reparation and emotional harm.

In Hamilton District Court, Judge Phil Connell told Roberta Robinson, 38, her crime was "an extremely callous offence".

"You needed to refurnish your house and you did it in a spectacular way, taking from another person and from a person you knew was in no different position to you."

Prosecutor Sergeant Lisa Goodson said $1500 reparation was sought for clothing, linen and duvets that the victim did not want to have returned.

Defence lawyer Douglas Hall said Robinson had $700 in cash, which she wanted to pay for emotional harm suffered by the victim.

Judge Connell acknowledged that Robinson had spent time in a women's refuge before the burglary. He ordered Robinson to pay the $700 cash for emotional harm and $1500 reparation at $40 a week.

- NZPA