Cherrywood bank robber was in grip of P

By Bay Times court reporter
With outstanding drug debts and an expensive P habit, Tauranga's Adam Ronald Leatham needed cash fast.
He had been awake for almost a fortnight and Cherrywood's Westpac bank became his target.
Details surrounding Leatham's terrifying bank hold-up on May 23 were revealed in Tauranga District Court yesterday when the Merivale 22-year-old admitted his crime.
During his third court appearance, Leatham pleaded guilty to two charges of aggravated robbery and one of assault with intent to rob.
Defence lawyer Craig Tuck said his client was yet another victim of methamphetamine.
"Methamphetamine has raised its head once again. When this offence occurred, he had been awake for 12 days straight," he said.
But outside court, Tauranga Police Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner said while Leatham was affected by P at the time of the robbery, it was not a sign of the times.
"It's quite clear from what was said in court that he was affected by methamphetamine ... but once again it's a drug that's throughout all police districts," he said.
"The fact is that alcohol abuse is still the biggest problem in the Western Bay police district on a daily basis."
Yesterday the court was told that at 2pm on May 23 Leatham went to a friend's address in Otumoetai, where he borrowed a vehicle.
Telling his friend he was going to the shops, Leatham, who was wearing orange overalls, instead drove the car to nearby Fairmont Tce.
Leaving the car in the quiet cul-de-sac, he then made his way on foot to the Cherrywood Shopping Centre with a bag containing a plastic pistol, gloves and other items of clothing.
He entered a toilet cubicle across the road from the bank, locked the door, stood on the toilet bowl and watched the Westpac and ANZ banks for about 30 minutes.
Leatham then pulled a balaclava over his face and entered the Westpac Bank.
Once inside, he put the bag on the counter between two tellers and produced the fake gun, demanding they fill the bag with cash.
He said things like "you know what this is all about", "start putting your money in" and "I want all of it".
Once the cash, which totalled $6277, was in the bag, he left and ran to the carpark beside the post office.
Here Leatham, waving the pistol, confronted a 74-year-old man and ordered he hand over his car keys.
He punched him when he refused to do so.
The defendant then approached a Mitsubishi Mirage occupied by Tauranga's Jason Dick and sat himself in the driver's seat - forcing Mr Dick, who was in the passenger seat, out of the vehicle.
Leatham then drove the car back to Fairmont Tce where he abandoned it and picked up his friend's car.
He then drove to an associate's address in Ohauiti where he burnt the overalls, gloves and balaclava.
When spoken to by police, Leatham said he had a serious methamphetamine problem and admitted the majority of the money taken had been used to pay outstanding drug debts.
The money, of which only $439.60 was recovered, was also used to buy more methamphetamine. Despite the link with the life-altering substance, Mr Tuck said Leatham took full responsibility for his actions.
"The summary is accepted, and he is very remorseful."
Mr Turner said yesterday's guilty plea was great news for the community.
"We are extremely pleased he [Leatham] has accepted responsibility for his actions. His offending clearly terrorised bank staff, elderly residents and shoppers and this will allow the victims to start recovering from their ordeal."
Judge Christopher Harding remanded Leatham in custody for pre-sentence, emotional harm and reparation reports. Sentencing will be on July 10.