Judge urges: Get a job

A Takapuwahia man should get a job so he doesn’t have time to wander the streets, burgling homes and breaking into cars, Porirua District Court heard last Tuesday.

Ihaka Solomon, 20, was sentenced to three months’ community detention and 200 hours’ community work for a September 9 spate of offences.

That night Solomon interfered with two cars, a BMW and a Toyota, He also entered a garage and courtyard at separate addresses in Raroa Tce, Tawa.

Solomon took meat and other items from the garage but was apprehended by police as he left and all the stolen items were recovered.

Solomon was also convicted of possessing a knife without reasonable excuse that night.

A beneficiary, Solomon was made redundant last year and had lost motivation after struggling to get a job, his lawyer Andrew More said.

‘‘Like a number of younger males his age, he’s finding that difficult. He’s essentially just floated since then.’’

Solomon already had three convictions for similar offences, all relating to one night in 2012, which could again be attributed to his lack of work, Mr More said.

Judge John Walker urged Solomon to find a job.

‘‘If you didn’t have so much time on your hands, it’s unlikely you’d be behaving this way.

‘‘ You were basically wandering around people’s houses and getting into cars.’’

Being under a curfew at home would keep Solomon out of mischief, Judge Walker said.

‘‘Community detention will keep you at home when you’d otherwise be . . . interfering with cars.’’