Dunedin District Court

PRESENTING a rifle, with a silencer attached, at a man in a vehicle next to his, brought 10 months’ jail for a 57yearold man.

Peter Wayne McKenzie was for sentence in the Dunedin District Court this week.

He had been convicted of unlawfully possessing a firearm (a .22 rifle), presenting the rifle at a man, and driving with a bloodalcohol level of 94mg, at Oamaru, on January 5.

The police summary said McKenzie’s firearm licence was revoked in July 2011.

About 7.30pm on January 5, McKenzie was driving a Jeep in Oamaru.

Since Timaru, he had been tailgating a vehicle.

Both vehicles stopped at the intersection of Thames and Coquet Sts.

From out of the driver’s door window, McKenzie pointed a rifle with a silencer attached towards the victim, a man he did not know.

McKenzie then left.

Police found his vehicle in Park Rd, Warrington. The vehicle was stopped. McKenzie was the only occupant. A .22 rifle and 21 rounds of ammunition were in the vehicle.

McKenzie admitted drinking alcohol.

He admitted possessing the rifle but denied pointing it at the victim. However, he did admit pointing a metal tool out the window, intending to make the victim think it was a rifle.

Public defender Sophia Thorburn said McKenzie believed alcohol abuse and his state of mind might have had a big role to play in his actions on the day. He pleaded guilty and had no prior convictions for violent offending.

Judge Kevin Phillips told McKenzie the victim was angry and upset by what happened.

‘‘He believed you intended to shoot him. He feared for the safety of himself and his partner.’’

The victim wanted McKenzie deterred from such offending, the judge noted.

McKenzie was sentenced to 10 months’ jail for possessing a firearm, two months for presenting a firearm, and one month for drinkdriving (all terms concurrent).

For drinkdriving (his second offence its type, the other being in 2014) he was also disqualified from driving for nine months, with zeroalcohol provisions when he regains his licence.

In addition, there was an order for forfeiture of the rifle, silencer and ammunition.

Woman’s remorse

A woman who burgled the homes of four people she knew, taking cash amounting to $2050 from three of the addresses, was remorseful and would pay full reparation, public defender Andrew Dawson said.

Emma Margaret Coates (31), of Te Houka, Balclutha, had been convicted of burgling two Clinton highway, Te Houka, Balclutha, addresses — one between October 8 and 17 last year, the other between October 27 and 30; burgling a house in Tsukigawa Tce, Balclutha, on October 21; and burgling a house in Ann St, Balclutha, between November 20 and 23.

In the first burglary she took $1500 from a set of bedroom drawers after entering the house through an unlocked door when the victim was not home.

She also entered the second Clinton highway property though an unlocked door when the victim was not home. And from that house she took from the master bedroom a piggy bank containing about $300.

On October 21, she parked her car in the driveway of the Tsukigawa Tce address and entered through an unlocked door. The victim and his family arrived home soon after. Found inside the house, Coates left after a brief conversation with the owner. Nothing was taken.

At the Ann St address to pick up some work tools on November 23, Coates removed $250 from an envelope in a set of drawers in an office area she would not usually have authority to enter without the victim being present.

Mr Dawson said Coates was in a bad space at the time and made some bad decisions. Offered the opportunity of methamphetamine by someone she thought was a friend, she racked up a debt and was told she needed to pay or she might find it difficult dealing with the people recouping the debt.

Coates was remorseful and had no previous convictions.

Restorative justice was very positive. She was now clean of drugs, Mr Dawson said.

On the first burglary, Coates was sentenced to six months’ community detention (curfewed 8pm5am daily), nine months’ supervision, 150 hours’ community work and ordered to pay $1500 reparation.

The other offences brought fourmonth community detention terms (concurrent with the six months) and orders to pay $300 and $250 reparation.