Rangiora man 'feels useless', unable to protect family

A Rangiora man has been left scared for his family's safety after three visits and threats from the Mongrel Mob demanding money and cars. Photo / George Heard

A Rangiora man is scared for his family's safety after three visits and threats from the Mongrel Mob demanding money and cars.

The visits more than a year ago left the man "feeling useless because he could not protect his family", the Christchurch District Court was told at the sentencing of one of the Mob members.

Three gang members had turned up wearing patches, one time punching his son and threatening him because the target of the visit had locked himself in the garage. One Mob member used a metal bar to try to smash the garage door.

The Mob members left with up to $1500 on one visit and took cars away.

Defendant Johnny Daniel Braam, 34, had known the victim for a while but he said their relationship had "soured over drugs".

Defence counsel Kiran Paima said Braam had been genuinely shocked to hear of the man's comments in his victim impact statement.

Braam had admitted three charges of aggravated robbery, intimidation, receiving a stolen $100,000 caravan, three charges of driving while his licence was suspended, and a breach of his home detention conditions when he failed to report to probation.

Judge Michael Crosbie jailed him for four years nine months and disqualified him from driving for two years. As a second-strike offender, Braam will serve all the jail term.

At the suggestion of Crown prosecutor April Mills, the judge ordered no reparation because it would have been futile.

Judge Crosbie referred to another attempt to "repossess" a vehicle, in the street in Sydenham in broad daylight, when an attempt was made to box in a car driven by a woman, who also had her children in the car.

The judge described it as "frightening and appalling".

Paima urged the judge to take account of the cultural report prepared for the sentencing, which detailed issues with Braam's early upbringing, which provided the platform for how he came to be before the court.

Judge Crosbie said Braam's mother had a traumatic brain injury when he was 8, and he went to live with a family friend who had gang connections. He was prospecting for the gang at 14 and a patched member at 17.

He had 67 previous convictions, including 15 for violence and was seen as a high risk of further offending and causing harm to others.

However, he now said he was remorseful, wanted to get off methamphetamine and reconnect with his family, who were at court for the sentencing.

He had done courses at prison during his time on remand and wanted to change.

Judge Crosbie urged him to work in prison to reduce his security classification so he could take advantage of rehabilitation opportunities, and he wished him luck as he went out the door to the cells to begin his sentence.