Man burgles house with child

A recidivist burglar, who took a child to a break-in, has made use of a judge’s ‘‘golden opportunity’’ and avoided jail.

In the New Plymouth District Court on Friday, Judge Gregory Hikaka praised Hamuwera Shaun Mokaraka for spending the past seven months free of crime.

‘‘You have done your bit towards, in a sense, earning this opportunity to get back on track with a positive, pro-social lifestyle,’’ Judge Hikaka said.

‘‘I think that is to be embraced.’’ In September, Mokaraka was facing a lengthy term of imprisonment when he appeared before Judge Hikaka for sentencing on four admitted burglary charges, one of cultivating cannabis and one of escaping lawful custody.

On April 16, 2019, Mokaraka broke into his neighbour’s home in Fitzroy.

He made off with more than $6000 of goods, including an iPad, two Samsung tablets, a laptop and a smart watch.

Less than a week later, on April 22, he returned to the Fitzroy address but this time he took a 9-year-old child with him.

After breaking into the house, again, Mokaraka stole an electronic safe containing cash and passports, a police summary of facts stated.

A neighbour saw the man and the child leave the address, carrying a square item under a sheet.

The neighbour took photos of the pair and notified police.

The following day, when police arrived at Mokaraka’s house to arrest him they smelt cannabis coming from the garage.

Inside, they found 49 mature cannabis plants, all around 50 centimetres in height.

Five days later, Mokaraka performed two more burglaries, both on Huatoki St, New Plymouth.

The total value of items taken from the two homes was in excess of $11,000.

Days later, police tracked him to a New Plymouth property where he was arrested and subsequently remanded into custody.

But instead of sentencing Mokaraka at the September hearing, Judge Hikaka asked defence to advance a bail application.

It had been submitted that Mokaraka was locked in a pattern of offending beginning when he was encouraged to steal as a young child, and that he was desperate to break the cycle.

He has 43 convictions, including 23 for burglary, it was heard in court.

The sentencing was adjourned and in October Mokaraka was granted electronically-monitored bail.

Judge Hikaka said that would give Mokaraka time to engage in programmes to assist him with a prosocial future and to prove himself.

On Friday, Judge Hikaka was satisfied Mokaraka had done just that.

On the charges, Mokaraka was sentenced to eight months’ home detention and ordered to pay a total of $1400 reparation.