Defecating Wanaka burglar jailed

The man was jailed for his New Year crime spree in Wanaka.

A defecating Wanaka burglar has been sentenced to almost two years' jail.

Sam Wilson, 21, of Waikato, was also ordered to pay almost $3000 reparation to four victims of his New Year crime spree in the resort.

The court heard that during the burglaries Wilson, who appeared for sentence by Judge Christina Cook in the Queenstown District Court yesterday, urinated on a car, defecated on a lawn, defecated on a deck then used a sock to wipe himself and then used the sock as a glove to try to open the front door, leaving faeces on the door handle.

He also smeared faeces on a cushion on the deck before leavingCounsel Sonia Vidal, appearing for Wilson, who also faced charges of breaching his bail, aggravated driving while disqualified and a breach of community work, all in Pukekohe, told the court his client was not a "career burglar''.

"This is a foolish young man with an alcohol problem and also a grief problem.''

Wilson was sentenced for unlawfully interfering with a Toyota, property of Bryony Ilisley, and burglary of a Hillview Pl property, both on December 30; burglary of the Four Square store on Ardmore St on January 7; burglary of properties at Little St, Hillview Pl and Hedditch St, and attempted burglary of a Little St address, all on January 8.

He stole meat, cash, handbags, devices, beer and various other property.

At two of the addresses he woke people sleeping inside.

Judge Cook said Wilson's repeated breaches of bail, breaches of a community work sentence for theft and his history of driving while disqualified, showed a "blatant disregard for court-imposed conditions''.

The court was told his offending was considered to be "opportunistic and alcohol-fuelled'' and he was "genuinely remorseful for his actions'', she said.

His offending, however, was aggravated by the violation felt by his victims and the defecation and urination on people's property, which one victim of his offending described as "disgusting and repulsive''.

Starting from 33 months' jail, Judge Cook added a month for driving while disqualified and then added another month for the bail breaches.

She reduced the sentence for his remorse, his young age and his guilty plea.

On all charges she imposed standard and special release conditions, to extend for six months after Wilson's release.

He was disqualified for 14 months, and convicted and discharged on breaching community work.

His previous sentence was cancelled.

He was also ordered to pay total reparation of $2940.06 to four of the burglary victims.