Man gets jail for raft of offences

Mobile dental clinic taken

A man whose offending during two years involved taking a mobile dental clinic and attempting to take a police car was yesterday sentenced to jail when he appeared in the Invercargill District Court.

Alistair Wayne Robinson, 40, appeared before Judge Kevin Phillips for sentence on 17 charges including theft, refusing to allow a blood specimen to be taken, drink-driving, burglary, unlawful interference with a motor vehicle, resisting police, reckless driving, failing to stop for a vehicle displaying flashing red and blue lights, careless driving, threatening behaviour, possession of an offensive weapon, and attempted unlawful taking of a motor vehicle.

The offences occurred at Wyndham, Porirua, Napier, Wairoa and Palmerston North between May 11, 2007, and April 28 this year.

During one of the crime sprees, Robinson took a mobile dental clinic valued at $170,000, the property of the Hawke's Bay District Health Board, and on another spree he attempted to take a police car.

In sentencing him to two years' jail, Judge Phillips said Robinson had spent much of his life in jail but had taken steps to distance himself from his gang connections. He also disqualified Robinson from driving for 15 months.

On the cannabis and failing to stop charges Robinson was convicted and discharged.