Impulsive streak leads to jail time

A Hamilton man convicted of unlawfully taking a vehicle while under intensive supervision for similar crimes has been jailed for 15 months.

Rudy Phillips, 22, yesterday admitted the car break-in on the night of October 5 last year.

He was convicted of a further charge of driving while disqualified.

Phillips was caught by police after trying to abandon the car with the engine running.

Judge Merelina Burnett said Phillips' previous community-based sentence had failed, noting two breaches of supervision. Phillips failed to attend probation meetings after moving to Taumarunui to live with family.

Defence counsel Len Caley said Phillips could be impulsive and lack empathy for others. He said Phillips, however, had co-operated with police and disputed a pre-sentence report which indicated the defendant appeared to be "coming off drugs".

The pre-sentence report also assessed Phillips as immature and antisocial. Despite owing more than $18,000 in fines, Phillips was ordered to pay reparation and disqualified from driving for two years.

A Hamilton teen who burgled a home while its occupants were inside asleep breached his bail 10 times while awaiting sentence.

Jagger Love, 19, was sentenced in the Hamilton District Court yesterday to eight months' jail after earlier pleading guilty to a charge of burglary.

On March 3 last year, Love and an associate broke into a Tauranga home at night, stealing alcohol and personal items.

The associate entered the home through an open window and unlocked a door for Love who went through the house while the occupants slept. Love later refused to identify his co-offender, saying he was drunk at the time.

A victim impact statement said the occupants were traumatised by the break-in.

Defence counsel Richard Barnsdale said Love was a young man "at the crossroads" and would benefit from home detention. Despite appearances in the Youth Court for burglary matters and 10 bail breaches – including three in the last week – Mr Barnsdale said his client had not shown an ongoing pattern of offending.

He said Love's age would put him at risk of being negatively influenced by other prison inmates.

In sentencing, Judge Merelina Burnett said Love had a continuing disregard for the law. A pre-sentence report assessed Love at medium risk of reoffending and low motivation to change.

The judge said the delay between Love's burglary and his sentencing was brought about by his initial not guilty plea.

- © Fairfax NZ News