Jail term for beer box robbery

A Christchurch man has been jailed for three years eight months after he and three others robbed a man of a box of Speight's beer - worth about $17 - in an act of "street thuggery".

The sentence came on top of burglary, car theft and shoplifting charges for the ringleader of the street attack, Aaron James Kerr, 24, who was sentenced in Christchurch District Court today.

Kerr was on bail at the time of the aggravated robbery on March 25 last year, the court was told.

He was at a McDonald's fast food restaurant in the suburb of Linwood when he and three associates surrounded their victim and asked for a bottle of beer out his box of Speight's.

When they were refused, Kerr pushed the man in the back and held his head down on a table while his associates grabbed the box and ran off, before they were caught by police.

The victim was not injured but was very frightened at the time.

Defence counsel Serina Bailey argued it was street thuggery, not a fully organised aggravated robbery.

She said Kerr had behavioural problems and had been admitted to mental health hospitals in the past. He was not good at coping on his own and would need support upon his prison release, she said.

Judge Gary MacAskill sentenced Kerr to two years eight months for the aggravated robbery because of the degree of violence and the number of participants, and as Kerr was on bail at the time.

He also sentenced Kerr on charges of burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, and shoplifting of saveloys.

In January 2010, Kerr went to a neighbour's house and took a DVD recorder, a mobile phone and car keys. He took a $9800 car and sold it for $950, but when the buyer went to register it he was stopped.

Judge MacAskill said Kerr's pre-sentence report said he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. It said he used alcohol and illicit drugs, and the cocktail with his prescribed drugs affected his memory and made him violent towards others.

Kerr had entrenched anti-social views, and it would take a monumental effort to turn his life around, but he was not motivated, it said. His risk of reoffending was high.

Judge MacAskill added another year for burglary and theft of the motor vehicle on top of the aggravated robbery sentence.

Kerr was also ordered to pay reparation of $400.

For the shoplifting of saveloys he was convicted and discharged.

- NZPA