Six years in jail for netball pavilion robber

The daughter of an elderly woman tied up with two others and threatened with a gun at Rotorua's netball pavilion has said the women will do their utmost to prevent their attacker getting parole.

Graham Kereama Hepi, 33, was sentenced in the Rotorua District Court yesterday to six years' jail after pleading guilty to assault with intent to rob, fraudulently using a document and two charges of aggravated robbery.

Doreen Neal, 76, Mary Thompson, 52, and Mary Lawson-Nuri, 44, were put through a terrifying ordeal on July 17 when Hepi, armed with a shotgun and wearing a balaclava, attacked them at the pavilion.

The women were at the pavilion to prepare a draw for the coming Kurangaituku netball tournament.

Hepi took $65 from Mrs Neil's bag and held the gun at her head while demanding her pin number for her eftpos card.

Mrs Lawson-Nuri was tied up and locked in another room. He locked the women inside and drove to a money machine where he withdrew two lots of $500.

Meanwhile, the women managed to free themselves and ring police.

Hepi told police he did it because he needed money. He was behind in rent and vehicle payments and he was being threatened with repossession for getting behind in his fines and reparations payments.

But that excuse didn't wash with Judge Phillip Cooper yesterday. The judge said there were many people who struggled financially but they did not resort to violent crime.

Hepi told police he had been drinking until 5.30am that day, woke at 8am and drove to the pavilion.

"What you did is nothing short of home invasion because that netball pavilion is her second home." Judge Cooper said he remembered sentencing Hepi in 1998 after he attacked an elderly couple in their home while carrying out a burglary.

Judge Cooper denied the Crown's request for a minimum non-parole period.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)