Meth crusader jailed after home invasion

Photo / Martin Sykes

A Waikato crusader against methamphetamine, or P, has been jailed for being the ringleader in a vicious home invasion.

Katie-Marie Robinson, 38, was sentenced at the High Court in Hamilton yesterday to 7-1/2 years' jail, the Waikato Times reported.

She had earlier been found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and injuring with intent to injure and was also ordered to pay $6900 reparation.

The charges stemmed from an early morning break-in at a Morrinsville home on July 29, 2007.

Robinson's co-accused, Grant Keith Barlow and Marcus Antony Colebourn, both 31, and Clinton Jack Dowd, 30, were also found guilty of the same charges. Barlow was jailed for four years and Colebourn and Dowd were jailed for seven and eight years respectively.

This week Robinson featured in a TVNZ documentary called Chasing The Ghost in which Paul Holmes discussed the trauma involving his own step-daughter Millie Elder.

In an interview with Holmes, Robinson described how the destructive consequences of her addiction had led to her being caught up in the home invasion.

The occupants of the house, Carley Brooks and Joshua Hunter, were left with stab wounds after they were attacked by a group of people armed with a pistol, knife and machete.

Defence counsel Charles Cato said Robinson had gone public with her battle with P and had positive letters of support from a wide group of people, including Mr Holmes.

- NZPA