Teen sent to military camp after armed robbery

File photo / NZ Herald

A 15-year-old who held up the Gull service station on Edmund Rd with a BB gun has been sentenced to six months' residential supervision.

As part of that he must attend a MAC (military-style) camp and will be subject to a further six months' supervision upon his release from the custody of Child, Youth and Family. He was also ordered to pay $270 reparation.

According to the police summary of facts, the boy and his 14-year-old accomplice entered the service station dressed in black and wearing balaclavas at 7.45pm on May 25. The boy pointed a BB pistol at the attendant and said: "Give us the money or I will shoot."

His co-offender threw a bag onto the counter, which the frightened attendant filled with $540 in cash. The two ran from the store but were arrested days later. Both admitted aggravated robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

In the Rotorua Youth Court yesterday, police asked that the boy be convicted and transferred to the District Court for sentencing, because of the seriousness of the offence.

However, the boy's lawyer, Harry Edward, ask Judge Jocelyn Munro to instead impose the "robust plan" agreed at a family group conference by all except police. Mr Edward said the plan was "no soft option" .

Judge Munro said she had seen "much too much" of this type of offending recently.

"There's a theme to them. People getting together, usually after drinking, with balaclavas and weapons, going into a liquor store or shop and demanding alcohol or money. You are one of them."

Judge Munro said the starting point for aggravated robbery in the District Court would be three years' jail. However as it was the boy's first time in court and because she was satisfied with the sentencing plan, she would not transfer him.

The 14-year-old co-offender will be sentenced on September 18.