Prison for home invading teens

File photo / NZ Herald

Two 16-year-olds have each been sentenced to three years and nine months in jail for a robbery in which they bashed a 14-year-old boy who was home alone.

Zion Wicken and Antonio Irwin, both of Flaxmere, were appearing for sentence in Napier District Court yesterday. The Youth Court declined jurisdiction because of limitations on the penalties it could have imposed.

The robbery happened on the evening of June 30 while Wicken was on bail for another robbery, in a Flaxmere alley on April 29. He was also sentenced for that incident yesterday.

Irwin was not involved in the earlier robbery but had a record of previous offences.

Judge Geoff Rea said the two and "a young lass" planned the June 30 robbery. They took steps to make sure the boy's mother was out and decided they would assault him if necessary to steal a games console and other items.

The youths went to the house, their faces covered with hoods and balaclavas, and one knocked on the door as the other stood out of sight.

When the boy opened the door, the youths barged in. The boy tried to stop them by punching at Irwin, who retaliated by punching the boy and kicking him on the ground while Wicken began taking items from the house, including a laptop, iPhone and cellphones.

After the intruders left the boy went to an uncle's home and was taken to hospital where he was admitted for treatment to bruises, swelling and cuts.

In the April incident, Wicken and another youth decided to rob another young person of a pair of shoes on a Friday afternoon. Wicken pushed the victim against a fence while his associate brandished a metal shank.

In sentencing, Judge Rea said the youths' ages was a "significant factor". He also took account of a significant degree of remorse from Wicken, commenting: "He's probably wondering how he got involved".