Editorial: Detention breach ends in jail

Daniel Managh may have been lucky not to be jailed last June when he was sentenced to 10 months' home detention and 300 hours' community work on sexual violation and indecency charges.

It was described this week as a lenient sentence as he found himself in court once again, this time for breaking the law while on home detention.

The 18-year-old was found to have more than $6000 worth of drugs when police searched the property where he was serving his sentence. He had just one month to go.

Under his home-detention conditions he was not to possess or use alcohol or drugs. But you would think that last part would go without saying.

Anyone thinking of taking advantage of the fact they've avoided jail and been sentenced to home detention should be in no doubt of the consequences.

Managh's lawyer said home detention had been a very difficult sentence for the teen as he did not have much to fill his days. You know what they say about idle hands. Now because he was bored he's going behind bars.

It's good to know his supervision was such that his offending didn't go unnoticed. You have to wonder how he thought he could get away with it. Managh's been sentenced to 13 months' jail, reduced from 15 months as credit for a guilty plea.

Every case is different but it's worth noting that a Hawke's Bay man was reported this week to have been sentenced to home detention for growing 127 cannabis plants.

Managh's crime may otherwise not have warranted jail, but as Judge Phillip Cooper has pointed out, when you offend while on home detention the only other option is prison.

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