Mccaw wedding guard is gunman
''To have a shotgun put in your face is probably one of the most traumatic things that can happen to you.'' Restaurant and bar owner Marty Fuller
A security guard from Richie and Gemma Mccaw’s wedding has admitted shooting two women and carrying out six gunpoint robberies at Canterbury pubs.
Douglas Anderson Roake, 23, pleaded guilty to six charges of aggravated robbery in the Christchurch District Court yesterday.
He also pleaded guilty to two charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two charges of presenting a firearm. His lawyer, Helen Coutts, did not apply for a continuation of name suppression.
Police launched a manhunt after Roake shot a mother and daughter at a rural home near Rolleston on April 19. The daughter pulled off his balaclava during a struggle. The women suffered moderate and serious injuries.
Two hours later he walked into the Hotel Ashburton and fired a shot before fleeing with cash.
He was arrested after armed police descended on a property at the Rakaia Huts, south of Leeston, early the next day.
Roake was part of the security at the January wedding of the former All Black captain and Black Sticks hockey star in Wanaka.
Premises Roake hit included Tavern Harewood, Cashmere’s Brickworks Bar and Restaurant and Trevino’s Restaurant and Bar in Riccarton. The first was on March 10. There were no injuries in any of the robberies.
Judge Gary Macaskill remanded Roake in custody for sentencing on August 23.
He referred him for a restorative-justice meeting and ordered a pre-sentence report and victim-impact reports.
A BALACLAVA, A VASE AND THE SHOOTINGS
A heavily-disguised Roake, armed with a shotgun with a five-round magazine and a mallet, went to a house near West Melton about 10pm on April 19.
He found a woman putting items in her car, pointed the gun at her and ordered her into the house. She fled and phoned police.
Roake fired two shots into the front door and went into the house.
A mother and daughter confronted him and he told them to get on the floor. He demanded money and the keys to a car.
The daughter refused to lie down and pushed Roake away and grabbed the firearm. During the struggle she pulled the balaclava off and recognised him.
The mother ran from the room and phoned police and her son, who lived nearby. Roake hit the daughter on her head with the mallet and then shot her in the leg.
He fired another round into the kitchen roof and hit her with the mallet at least six times.
The mother returned and hit Roake over the head with the lid from an ornamental vase. He told her ‘‘I’m going to shoot you’’ and shot her in the stomach.
He then pointed the gun at the daughter and continued to hit her with the mallet.
The son arrived and saw Roake pointing the firearm at his sister. Roake saw him through the window and pointed the gun at his head. The son confronted Roake, who ran off as he had run out of ammunition.
Later that night Roake went to the Hotel Ashburton, where he confronted the restaurant supervisor outside. She ran towards the main bar and office telling patrons they were being robbed by a man with a gun.
Roake then fired a bullet through the wall into the bar. He went inside and fired two shots into the till to try to open it. He found an unlocked safe in the office and took $1645.
ROAKE’S SIX PUB HEISTS
Police said that late on March 10 Roake went into the Tavern Harewood with his face covered, a longbarrelled pump-action shotgun and a black plastic rubbish bag.
He approached the duty manager, telling him to put cash from the safe and gaming machines into the bag, saying: ‘‘Stay still and I won’t hurt anybody.’’
He pointed the loaded shotgun at several patrons and staff and left with more than $18,000, but $2000 fell out of the bag as he left.
At 10.30pm on March 14 Roake went to The Brickworks Bar in Cashmere, again disguised and carrying the same type of shotgun, although it was a new one he had bought that day.
He pointed the gun at the duty manager and demanded she fill his black backpack with money.
‘‘You’re doing well ma’am,’’ he told her, and left with $43,000.
Ten days later Roake went to Trevino’s Restaurant and Bar in Riccarton at 11.40pm. He used the same disguise and a shotgun, and left with $29,708.
Five days later he returned to The Brickworks Bar and fired two shots at the locked door to get in.
He approached the duty manager and demanded money, leaving with $12,000.
At 10.30pm on April 6 he went to the Springston Hotel, near Lincoln, with a long-barrelled SKS rifle, which he had cut the stock off.
He was disguised and told patrons: ‘‘Get on the ground, noone will get hurt’’, but also threatened several people that he would ‘‘blow their heads off’’.
He asked the duty manager to empty the safe, but when she said she could not, he fired a bullet into the ceiling and asked her to remove the money from the gaming and TAB machines.
He fired another bullet into the ceiling and took $10,000.
Trevino’s Restaurant and Bar owner Marty Fuller said news of Roake’s guilty plea was a ‘‘massive relief’’.
Three staff were working the night of the robbery.
‘‘It was hugely traumatic for them – to have a shotgun put in your face is probably one of the most traumatic things that can happen to you.’’