Rotorua woman jailed for aggravated robbery

Cassie Rae Latemore during her sentencing at Rotorua District Court today. Photo/Ben Fraser

A Rotorua woman who drove the getaway car for an aggravated robbery while two young children were in the back seat has been sent to prison.

In the Rotorua District Court today, Cassie Rae Latemore, 30, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison for her role in the aggravated robbery of Kawaha Point Superette on March 22 last year. She had previously pleaded guilty to the charge.

Two children were in the car at the time of the robbery and had been traumatised by the event, Judge Tony Snell told the court.

He said it was an "appalling action" and "under no circumstances should you case a place and rob it" while children were in the back seat of the car.

"You have put them at risk and have left them traumatised by your actions," Judge Snell said.

Latemore, who kept her face hidden the entire sentencing, was a heavy meth user at the time of the offending and owed a significant amount of money to her drug suppliers.

While it was her co-offender, Jonathon Garrett, 24, who robbed the store at knife point, Judge Snell concluded she was the lead offender given she had planned and prepared the crime, and later hid Garrett's clothes.

According to the summary of facts, it was Latemore's debt to her drug suppliers that was the driving factor behind the robbery.

Around 3.30pm Latemore drove Garrett and two children to the superette. She got out and was looking under the building eaves, checking for surveillance cameras. She went inside, bought a $1 bag of lollies then left the area.

Judge Snell described this action as clearly "casing the joint".

Latemore returned eight minutes later, parking 50m up the road. Garrett, armed with a hollow steel pipe with two steak knives taped to one end, went into the superette and confronted the lone male shop keeper.

"[Garrett] pointed the knife end of the pipe at the shop keeper and jabbed the knives towards him," the summary read.

The shop keeper handed over about $400 cash and three packets of tobacco.

However Garrett tripped as he tried to get away, dropping most of the money, his makeshift weapon and the beanie he was wearing.

The total cash estimated to have been taken was $120 to $150.

In her haste to get away, Latemore drove off at high speed, swerving to avoid the shop keeper, who had chased Garrett out of the store, and nearly collided with an oncoming car.