Recidivist offender's death 'justice for his victims'

Blood stains the road at Omamari Beach where Raymond Ahitopere Shelford staggered after putting his arm through a window at a beach property before dying in a ditch. Photo / Richard Robinson

A man found dead in a Northland ditch had been released from prison just a few months ago after serving a 5-year sentence for armed robbery - and he was due in court again next week for reoffending.

A victims' lobby group says Raymond Ahitopere Shelford's death will be justice for his victims and has saved the taxpayers having to fork out for court costs again.

The 23-year-old died from blood loss on Sunday morning after punching a window at his cousin's house at Omamari Beach, 30km north of Dargaville.

He had arrived at the Omamari Rd house, where about 30 people were drinking, with a group of friends on Saturday night but was kicked out because he was trying to start a fight, a resident of the house said yesterday.

"He was making trouble, he was just angry, swearing and carrying on. We wanted him out of here."

The woman said someone went to look for Shelford about 7am and found him lying in a ditch across the road.

Huge amounts of blood still covered a 50m stretch of the road where Shelford had stumbled after being kicked out of the house.

He was released from prison on January 5 - after being denied parole five times - for a raft of offences including robbing the Victoria St Corner Dairy in Dargaville in June 2003 when he was 17.

He had grabbed a female shop assistant around the neck and held an air pistol to her temple while yelling at the two shop owners to "give me the money". He then pulled the woman to the ground and the second offender jumped over the counter and grabbed money from the till.

Police found the pair about 30 minutes later. Shelford had $65 in his pocket and the air pistol.

Judge John Clapham said during sentencing Shelford had not considered the impact of his "appalling conduct" on the victims or the community.

A Parole Board decision in November said Shelford had incurred an identified drug user status since his last meeting with it in April last year and he was to serve his full sentence.

Dargaville Detective Sergeant Jonathan Tier said Shelford was due in court next Thursday after an incident on May 2. He had been drinking at the Central Hotel by himself when he become aggressive, offending customers. When asked to leave he punched and kicked the bar owner and later assaulted a policeman.

Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Garth McVicar said Shelford would not have been rehabilitated in prison.

"He couldn't handle the outside world and he's attempted to commit another violent offence, then he's gone and killed himself. Maybe it's justice at the end of the day. He's saved the taxpayers a lot of money by preventing any reoffending."