18 year old lucky to avoid serious jail time

‘‘You do have previous convictions and they've got a flavour to them.’’ Judge McKenzie.

A Taupo teenager was lucky to avoid jail after appearing in the Taupo District Court on dishonesty and assault charges.

Truce Marsters appeared in court on five charges on Wednesday last week.

He pleaded guilty to breach of community work on August 17, theft of a BMX bike on August 18, theft of a cellphone on August 30, aggravated assault and theft on September 04.

Judge McKenzie said during the September 04 incident Marsters and a group of others went to Spa Park where they took a bag belonging to a tourist.

The tourist was knocked down before Marsters and another offender became involved, punching the victim twice.

In the bag was a hoodie, a cellphone, a watch and a bracelet.

Two of the items stolen had been retrieved but the other two were still missing.

In two other incidents that happened two weeks apart, a BMX bike was stolen from Tauhara College and a Samsung S7 was stolen from an address in Ruapehu Street.

Judge McKenzie said for someone only 18-years-old, Marsters had a lengthy previous record.

‘‘You do have previous convictions and they’ve got a flavour to them, dishonesty or violence,’’ Judge McKenzie said.

Marsters was sentenced to six months home detention.