The leader of the gang that robbed two Chubb security guards of $940,404 in New Zealand's biggest armed robbery was sentenced to 11 years' jail yesterday.
Wellington District Court judge Anne Gaskell said Peter Richard Tyson, 26, unemployed security guard, of Timberlea in Upper Hutt, was the instigator and leader of the group that robbed the guards as they were filling the ATM in Willis St, Wellington, on December 22.
She also sentenced another member of the group, Wayne Turner, 25, unemployed, to 7 1/2 years' jail.
Judge Gaskell said the robbery was Tyson's idea. He planned it, gave tasks to the others, co-ordinated their movements, had inside knowledge, abseiled down the wall behind the ATM, had the imitation gun and paid out the others. She said the sentence had to reflect his greater role.
He also helped police recover $676,000 from the Waikato where it had been hidden.
Judge Gaskell said Tyson also helped in the burning of the van, worth about $330,000.
He was also up for sentence for his part in the theft of $94,000 from the Securitas building vault in February last year.
Judge Gaskell said Turner had helped in the planning, removed the abseiling gear, acted as lookout and was paid $10,000.
Tyson and Turner both pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and unlawfully taking the van. Tyson has also pleaded guilty to two charges of arson and an unrelated theft.
Last week Jonathan McDonald and Quintin O'Brien were sentenced to 7 1/2 years', and John Moeke to eight years', for their parts in the Chubb robbery.
Tyson's defence counsel Bruce Davidson asked for a reduction to Tyson's sentence for helping the police, and also for his consideration of his victims in making sure they were found unharmed.
Defence counsel for Turner Val Nisbet said his client was the last to be caught and had turned himself in to police.
He said Turner had been stupidly flattered by being asked to take part and was too tempted by the $10,000 to turn it down. He had been in financial difficulties which had caused problems in his relationship with his partner.
Crown prosecutor Grant Burston said that but for Tyson, none of the others would have been involved.
- NZPA
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