As for the theft, he was "very, very apologetic".
"He visited a friend at the backpackers and had brain fade. He saw the charity box and took it."
Judge Robert Murfitt said "brain fade" was a good way of describing the crime.
"Theft of donation boxes is always an offence which gets a lot of public recrimination. It was an insult to the community and the charity."
The judge ordered Castlehouse to pay reparation to the SPCA of $200, "which is 10 times the amount you stole".
He was convicted on both charges and sentenced to 50 hours of community work and disqualified from driving for six months from October 7, when his current disqualification ends.
- Greymouth Star