Nelson shoplifter behind bars for three months before sentencing

A Nelson man caught shoplifting has been in custody for three months awaiting sentence. File image 123RF

A Nelson man who has spent three months in custody awaiting sentence on dishonesty charges must wait two more weeks until he is free.

Trent Akuhata Anderson has spent the equivalent of six months in prison on charges including shoplifting, his lawyer Wayne Jones told the Nelson District Court at his sentencing today.

Anderson, who appeared via audio-visual link, had earlier admitted shoplifting items worth just over $2000 from supermarkets and Mitre 10, plus breaching community work, and failing to answer bail.

A Nelson man caught shoplifting has been in custody for three months awaiting sentence. File image 123RF

Judge Michelle Duggan said an appropriate starting point for sentence was eight months in prison, reduced to seven months for Anderson's early guilty plea, and backdated to November 3 last year. That took the total to two more weeks in custody.

She also cancelled his outstanding community work and fines totalling $3680, and instead imposed a $2000 reparation order.

Anderson's release conditions included completion of programmes as recommended by probation.