When teenagers robbed a Wanganui dairy in February they took away the Chinese owner's dream of a new life as well as his money. Three of the five involved in the aggravated robbery were under 17 at the time. Jake Anderson, Mark Ringo Kristian Bartlett and Ira Craig Patea-Glendinning were sentenced in Wanganui District Court yesterday.
Judge Peter Callinicos quoted the dairy owner's words in court: "So bad. So sad. They not only robbed my money, they also completely broke my dream here."
The judge said the Chinese family, which had only been in New Zealand for a few months before February, had also been burgled during that time. As a result their Wanganui East dairy "looked more like a jail".
On February 11 five offenders took $3000 worth of property from the Duncan St shop. One member of the Chinese family had returned to China as a result. Others were still nervous.
The young offenders were drinking at Anderson's Salisbury Ave address when they formed the robbery plan. Judge Callinicos said the address was associated with the Mongrel Mob gang.
The teenagers sourced clothing from the property, including balaclavas. One of them got an air pistol from a younger brother.
He later said he believed the air pistol could not be fired. Another got a hockey stick to use as a weapon.
The five went to the dairy by car. When they arrived the victims were restocking shelves. Two armed people went in and threatened them, while Patea-Glendinning and Bartlett jumped the counter and took property and the cash register.
The five returned to Salisbury Ave by car, changed clothes, burned some items and gave the air pistol to a friend. The cash register was broken open and cash removed. It was then dumped in the Whanganui River. Yesterday's three young offenders were convicted in family court but sentenced in district court.
Judge Callinicos sentenced Anderson, now 17 and one of the ring leaders, to two years' prison in a youth unit. Anderson had an unstable and unfortunate background, in an environment with gang connections. He had already had charges against him in the family court.
His time living outside Wanganui with a caregiver, since April, had given him his first opportunity for a different life. His counsel, Debbie Goodlet, said he was enjoying it.
"I suspect that but for a different family background you could well be a leader of a positive nature," Judge Callinicos told the 17-year-old.
He was given leave to apply for home detention and, because of his "exceptional circumstances", given leave to defer his sentence until the application could be heard by the New Zealand Parole Board.
Bartlett had a supportive family and faced additional driving, deception and weapon charges. Yesterday he had already been in prison for six months, after breaching his bail conditions.
He appeared to have little motivation to change or appreciation of the impact on victims, Judge Callinicos said.
He was sentenced to 14 months' prison in a youth unit close to Wanganui. He was allowed to apply for home detention but his sentence was to begin immediately.
The third Wanganui youth, Patea-Glendinning, was also not a ring leader in the robbery. Police had said he was a hard worker and had some fine qualities. He had no previous convictions.
He was sentenced to two years' supervision and 300 hours' community work.
Each of the three was also to pay $839.28 in reparations. Bartlett's family had already paid $661.
Judge Callinicos said he was disappointed that agencies had been so far unable to put together proper support packages for the three.
City dairy owner stripped of Kiwi dream by robbers
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