A man who took part in an aggravated robbery in Taupo with a man who committed murder a few hours later has been jailed for six years.
Marty Graeme Durham, 20, unemployed, was sentenced in Rotorua District Court yesterday for his part in the aggravated robbery on July 9 last year.
His co-offender, Ratima James Osborne jnr, 18, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the charge late last year. Osborne committed the robbery a few hours before he murdered hitchhiker Jason Johnson. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder.
Police said Durham and Osborne went to the Taupo house about 9.15pm because Durham was looking for someone he claimed owed him payment for drugs.
The man was not there but the two men forced their way into the house. They told the three people in the house the man they were looking for had "ripped off their cannabis" and they were going to take their appliances as collateral, police said.
The pair then hit the flatmates with metre-long pieces of wood before stealing their stereo, television and video player.
Judge James Weir said all three victims had moved out of the house, and were very shaken by the incident.
Judge Weir said Durham needed to be held accountable for his behaviour and a sentence needed to be imposed that would deter others. He accepted Durham's remorse and that there was very little premeditation involved.
The sentence should be longer than that imposed on Osborne because of Durham's late guilty plea, his age and because he had previous convictions for violence.
Mr Durham's lawyer, Ian Farquhar, gave the judge three letters of apology which Durham had written to the three victims.
- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)
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