Young man involved in aggravated robbery given last chance by judge

Hamilton teenager Arjay Paraku-Harris avoided a jail term while being sentenced for his part in an aggravated robbery, but his home detention sentence will be judicially monitored. Photo / File

His father has been in prison his whole life, while his mother was jailed when he was just 5 years old.

And Arjay Paraku-Harris could have landed their too.

But Judge Robert Spear took a big chance on the 18-year-old when he appeared for sentencing in the Hamilton District Court today, for his part in a vicious aggravated robbery of the Tokoroa Superette earlier this year.

The court heard how Paraku-Harris was drunk and stranded in Tirau and started hitching a ride back to Hamilton on May 13.

He was eventually picked up by an associate and two others who happened to be in the middle of planning a robbery.

The group devised a scheme to steal cigarettes and cash from a dairy in Tokoroa - at the Tokoroa Superette.

Three of them, including Paraku-Harris, ran inside. Finding the sole, 52-year-old female shop attendant inside, one of the men punched her in the face.

The woman was also knocked to the ground and another associate, a 17-year-old woman, kicked her several times to the head as Paraku-Harris stole cigarettes before fleeing into the getaway vehicle.

The shop assistant was left with a broken nose and cuts to her face and head, and still suffers severe psychological trauma from the attack.

Paraku-Harris' lawyer, Roger Laybourn, told Judge Spear his client didn't deserve to go to jail, unlike his 17-year-old co-offender.

Like her, he'd had an unenviable upbringing, except she had the rap sheet to prove it. The 18-year-old only had one youth court conviction for stealing a pie.

He said his client was laden with regret and remorse and since his arrest he had admitted his role and had also helped police in their investigation into who was involved.

"Everything that one reads about this young man cries out that this was so out of character for him. He had a less than ideal upbringing. His father has been in prison for his whole life and his mum has spent significant time in prison."

However, she was out now and had been a "tremendous support" for him since his arrest and didn't want him to end up like her or his father.

Laybourn said Paraku-Harris was "very impressionable" and admitted that his actions were stupid and had affected the victim severely.

He had accepted the ride so that he could give his associates the money to help pay for his ride home.

He had been offered a job and a bed with his brother and sister-in-law on their dairy farm, an option which would give the teenager hope for his future.

Judge Spear sensed Paraku-Harris was worth taking a gamble on - but it would come with a catch.

"I'm taking a chance with you today, and because I'm taking a chance with you I'm going to follow this sentence to make sure that you comply with it. This sentence will be judicially monitored."

That means the judge will be delivered a report every three months, monitoring Paraku-Harris' progress.

"If I don't like what I read ... you will be off to do a term of imprisonment. You will not get a second chance. This is your last chance and it is the best chance you will ever have of staying out of prison for an offence of this severity."

He urged him not to waste the opportunity.

"You owe it to yourself and you owe it to your family who are here today to support you."