Prison term for 22nd burglary conviction

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A recidivist burglar seen by a member of the public inside a woman’s house while she was gardenng in the backyard has been jailed for 19 months.

Keau Jan Leach, 25, had 21 prior convictions for burglary, and was on prison release conditions for a previous one, when he was spotted through the lounge window of the Aberdeen Road house at about 3.30pm on December 2 last year.

Located by police soon after he left the house, Leach initially said he “didn’t know what happened” and that he didn’t take anything from the property.

However, he later pleaded guilty to the burglary in which the woman said her watch and cellphone were taken.

Leach was on remand in custody when he appeared for sentence via AV-link in Gisborne District Court.

Counsel Manaaki Terekia argued for home detention. He said Leach’s release conditions had not included counselling for alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, which was necessary for his successful rehabilitation.

Notwithstanding, he had been compliant with his conditions and was doing well until he lost his accommodation.

Since being charged for the burglary, Leach had been going to AOD counselling voluntarily and had managed to find a suitable address for home detention, Mr Terekia said.

He also pointed to Leach’s remorse as a reason for the community-based option.

But Judge Warren Cathcart said Leach’s extensive previous history and the fact he didn’t seem to have been deterred by previous sentences meant public protection had to take precedence.

Setting a sentence starting point of 20 months imprisonment, the judge uplifted it by four months for Leach’s previous convictions and the fact he had been on release conditions when he offended.

There was a 25 percent discount for Leach’s guilty plea.

The judge refused to give additional discount for remorse, He questioned whether Leach’s claim he knew how it felt to be a victim because a car had been stolen from him showed any genuine insight beyond his own experience.

The sentence will again be followed by release conditions.