Preventive jail for violent spree

A drug-crazed robber has been sentenced to preventive detention for a five-day crime spree involving violent car-jackings and kidnapping women.

Charles Edwards, 27, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping, grievous bodily harm, aggravated robberies, assault with intent to rob and unlawfully taking motor vehicles.

He bashed a 40-year-old female bar owner in Wellsford on the head with an iron bar and when she regained consciousness whacked her again before making off with $1100 in coins.

She suffered brain damage and had to sell the business because of the ongoing effects of the attack.

Over the next few days, Edwards car-jacked three women in separate incidents as they got into their vehicles in South Auckland.

Two were held for several hours, terrorised and made to withdraw $700 and $400 from cash machines.

Passing sentence in the High Court at Auckland, Justice Tony Randerson said that Edwards had shown a pattern of violent offending since 1993 but court sentences had not curbed his violent tendencies.

In November 2002 his offending escalated in a "drug-induced frenzy".

A psychological report said that Edwards' primary motivation was to get money for drugs, but he might also have enjoyed terrifying his victims.

Justice Randerson said that there was no need for Edwards to inflict violence on the women.

The community needed protecting from people who preyed on vulnerable women and who appeared to take pleasure from it.

Edwards' drug consumption and his propensity for violence were a "potentially lethal combination".

Prosecutor Mike Heron said that Edwards had chillingly said in a pre-sentence report that he "could kill someone" in the right or wrong situation.

He also claimed he was able to get P in jail.

Justice Randerson ordered preventive detention, rare in violence cases, and imposed a minimum 6 1/2-year prison term.