An "easily led" Kaikohe man who drove a group of youths on a burglary spree covering the Bay of Islands and Whangarei has been sentenced to supervision with a judge saying any stiffer sentence would be unjust.
Peter Cortesi, 27, appeared in Whangarei District Court yesterday where he pleaded guiltyto 21 counts of burglary and one of being unlawfully in a building after a spate of burglaries in Kerikeri, Waipapa and Whangarei in January this year.
Cortesi drove a group of youths, aged from 11 to 14, around on the burglary spree, but defence lawyer Roger Bowden said Cortesi was a very suggestible man who was made to be the driver by the others who, although younger, were far more criminally experienced.
Mr Bowden said there were a "series of threats" made against Cortesi by some of the youths involved and Cortesi now had nothing to do with the group.
Judge John McDonald said Cortesi was easily led and at least two of the three youths were well advanced in their criminal careers, despite their young age, and had appeared in the Youth Court for serious criminal offending.
"You have a low IQ and are easily led. They saw you as a soft touch, as an adult who could drive them from place to place so they could commit burglaries or attempt burglaries," Judge McDonald told Cortesi.
"Despite your age you didn't have the necessary intellectual capacity to say no to them.
"Although these are serious burglaries, and normally you as the adult would bear most of the punishment, I consider that in this case that would be unjust."
Taking into account Cortesi's guilty pleas, the judge sentenced him to 12 months' supervision and ordered that he undertake any counselling or courses as directed by his probation officer.
Figures released by NZ Police show there were 2339 burglaries in Northland in 2012 - 1242 in Whangarei/Kaipara and 1097 in the Far North.
