Hori Gemmell jailed over cannabis deal in Gore gone wrong

Hori Gemmell was sentenced to more than three years’ imprisonment in the Invercargill District Court in 2020. Photo / Luisa Girao

A man who stole a police car and the weapons inside has now been jailed for aggravated robbery.

Hori Irimana Tenaku Winiata Kemp Gemmell, 28, was jailed for two years by Judge Russell Walker at the Invercargill District Court this afternoon.

On July 16, Gemmell and two co-defendants had organised to meet another group of three in a cemetery near Gore to complete a cannabis deal.

At about 10.15pm, the victims arrived and shortly after so did the defendants.

One victim passed Gemmell $25 through a car window but an argument led Gemmell to reach down, grab an item and point it at the man who believed it was a gun.

He fled to his car to get his cellphone, but Gemmell beat him to it and took the phone.

The court heard the victim then hid behind a tree while Gemmell got into the driver’s seat of their car while a co-defendant allegedly dragged a victim out of the vehicle by her hair.

Gemmell and an associate drove off in the victims’ car and the remaining defendant drove away in the car they arrived in, leaving the trio stranded in the cemetery.

The group abandoned the victims’ vehicle at the Gore Racecourse, a police summary said.

“You are a young man in need of profound change, treatment and support,” Judge Walker said.

“This charge represents somewhat of an escalation in your offending.”

The judge said while Gemmell – who pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and offering to supply methamphetamine - claimed he wanted to be a role model to his children, his behaviour in custody had displayed the opposite.

He took into account the defendant’s criminal history of more than 40 convictions including drug, violence and firearms offences.

He also accepted counsel Roger Eagles’ submission that Gemmell was not involved in physical violence during the incident.

“Your offending was an opportunistic street-level robbery involving minimal actual violence,” he said.

In 2019, Gemmell made headlines for stealing a police car containing two Glock pistols.

Officers had attempted to pull the defendant over on a rural road in Gore, but he rammed the vehicle and fled on foot.

Officers chased Gemmell, but he out-ran them, doubled round and escaped in the patrol vehicle.

The defendant hit another police car before driving off with the two loaded firearms he had removed from the safe.

Gemmell was arrested after a two-day manhunt.

He was sentenced to imprisonment for three years and one month, and served the entirety of his sentence without parole.

Today, Judge Walker declined the Otago Daily Times’ application to photograph the defendant.