Home invasion terrifies woman

A woman was left terrified and afraid to be alone after a man smashed his way into her house in an attack she likened to a home invasion.

That is how the woman described Robert Julius' drunken rampage to the Chronicle, outside the court where Julius was being sentenced yesterday.

Her impact statement, read by Judge David Cameron in the Wanganui District Court, said she was terrified by the drunk 18-year-old's actions and was now afraid to be alone. She did not know Julius and had never met him before, Judge Cameron said.

Julius repeatedly clenched his jaw as he stood in the dock, waiting to be sentenced.

On March 9 this year, Julius went to the property at 7.50pm and was so drunk he did not know what he was doing.

He banged aggressively on the gate, demanding to be let in, and broke two palings as he climbed over into the property.

The terrified woman ran into the house and called the police.

Julius followed and smashed a glass pane on a sliding door. The woman escaped out of another door. Julius went upstairs and opened a wardrobe and threw books around the room. He was still inside the house when police arrived.

"People like you wander around terrorising people in their own homes," Judge Cameron told Julius as he convicted him on the burglary charge and sentenced him to nine months' intensive supervision at an address outside Wanganui.

Julius must also undergo a psychiatric assessment, attend and complete alcohol and drug counselling, be assessed by the Tikanga Maori programme, attend a motivational programme and pay reparation of $645 for intentional damage.

In his submission to the court, counsel Quentin Stratford said if Julius went to jail he would come out with worse mental health issues.

The relative at the address that was found for Julius would ensure he got intensive supervision Mr Stratford said.

Julius's pre-sentence report said he needed intervention. His young partner, who was in court, is pregnant.