Home detention for burglar

A Waverley man who ransacked a business was lucky to have escaped a jail sentence in a decision the judge described as "almost against my better judgment".

Unemployed meatworker Michael Thomas Feeney, 34, pleaded guilty to burglary of goods worth more than $5000. He was sentenced to eight months' home detention and 200 hours' community work by Judge David Cameron when he appeared in Wanganui District Court.

The judge described how on the early hours of October 23, 2011, Feeney smashed his way into a Morrinsville laundromat via a rear window, cutting himself in the process.

"You ransacked the inside of the building ... ripping two change machines from the wall causing considerable damage," the judge said.

Feeney then ripped the security doors from their hinges to escape, dropping stolen vending machine supplies in a trail all the way to his car.

Police prosecutor sergeant Stephen Butler said Feeney, who has previous convictions for burglary, cost the business up to $20,000 in damages and stolen goods.

The complainants had since sold their business and moved to Australia.

Defence counsel Anna Brosnahan said that although her client had a considerable list of previous offences, his offending has dropped off since 2007 when he moved from Hamilton to Waverley.

Feeney had been employed at Silver Fern Farms in a seasonable capacity, and although he was unemployed, he could get work in the next seasonal intake of staff.

She described how her client handed himself in to police when he heard that he was wanted in connection to the burglary.

Ms Brosnahan said her client had turned his life around. He now lived with his partner and was getting away from bad influences he had in Hamilton.

Judge Cameron said Feeney had caused extensive damage to the Morrinsville property, and noted he had 85 convictions, including eight for burglary, as well as theft and receiving stolen goods.

"Your connections in Hamilton did you no good at all," he said.

The judge commended Feeney on his attempts to turn his life around: "On the face of it you have a reasonable work ethic.

"Almost against my better I am prepared to give you home detention," he said.

Feeney's home detention is to be carried out at an address in Waverley.