Teen sentenced to jail for two armed raids on dairy

A youth offender will serve an adult jail sentence for two armed raids on a Christchurch dairy that left his victim fearing for his safety and struggling to sleep.

Judge Stephen O’driscoll told Liam Burrowes, in the Christchurch District Court yesterday: ‘‘Aggravated robberies are not games. The stakes are high.’’

He jailed the 16-year-old for three years, which will be served in the youth wing at Christchurch Men’s Prison, for the robberies at the Woolston Night n’ Day.

The judge warned future youth offenders may not be spared prison terms on their age alone.

‘‘I hope the sentence I have imposed will not just deter you, but will deter others in the community who may be contemplating this perceived game.’’

Aggravated robberies – robberies involving weapons or multiple offenders – carried a maximum 14-year jail term, and had the potential for serious consequences for vulnerable shopkeepers, Judge O’driscoll said.

When Burrowes was interviewed for his pre-sentence report, he told the probation officer he was surprised to find himself being sent to the district court for sentencing. He had thought that if he was caught he would get the maximum youth justice sentence – supervision with residence.

The judge decided the offending was serious enough for an adult sentence to be imposed, particularly considering his record and his recent release from a Youth Court sentence when the first robbery took place on December 3.

The first time, Burrowes went into the store at 4am, with two cooffenders who had hammers. Burrowes carried a sports bag for the loot, and a small axe. Cash, cigarettes, and tobacco products worth $1565 were taken, and the shop assistant was threatened with a weapon. The robbers wore disguises.

Burrowes went back on December 22 at 4.50am, again armed with an axe and wearing gloves, bandanna, and hooded sweatshirt. Cash and tobacco products were again targeted.

The same shop assistant was robbed both times. He has now been robbed four times, and the Woolston Night and Day has been robbed eight or nine times in total.

The shop worker says he is having trouble sleeping and does not feel safe. He has not worked a night shift since Burrowes’ last robbery.

‘‘He has not told his family about what has occurred because he is concerned his family may want him to leave New Zealand and go back to India,’’ Judge O’driscoll said.

He said he was not sure why that store was targeted so much. It may have been seen as a ‘‘soft’’ target, where the shopkeepers did not resist, or simply an easy way of getting cash and cigarettes.

The judge reviewed other cases where young people had been sentenced for dairy robberies, including some at the Woolston shop. The sentences had ranged from Youth Court sentences of supervision with residence – effectively youth prison – to supervision with activity, and one term of two years, seven months’ jail.

Judge O’driscoll said said Burrowes was young but his offending had not involved typical youth behaviour. There had been multiple offenders, disguises, weapons, and premeditation. In his case there were two robberies.