Two more quake offenders sentenced

A Christchurch man who admitting breaking into a quake-damaged house was told today that he was adding to the trauma of quake victims. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Two more earthquake offenders who helped themselves to goods from damaged premises were dealt with at Christchurch District Court today.

Judge Jane Farish told Paul Arthur Murphy: "People in this city are absolutely traumatised by the effects of the earthquake. It adds to the trauma when people like yourself think it is an opportunity to make money out of everybody else's misfortune."

Murphy, 47, admitted burglary and unlawful possession of a knife.

He was found by police scavenging copper wire from an earthquake-damaged and red-stickered house while carrying a knife.

Judge Farish jailed him for 18 weeks which should mean he will be released from prison almost immediately after spending nine weeks in custody on remand.

Rory Shaw, a 31-year-old bar manager, pleaded guilty to breaching the Civil Defence cordon at the Palms Shopping Centre where he had been working in a restaurant.

He was given permission to go into the centre to get business documents from the restaurant after the quake, but it was only meant to be a brief visit at 2pm on March 7.

He and an associate began drinking in the premises and police found him six hours later, grossly intoxicated.

Judge Farish convicted and discharged him because he is already serving a six month jail term for at least his third drink-driving conviction. He is due for release on August 1.

- NZPA