Robbery mum cares for two in jail

ADunedin mother of three who assisted in the armed robbery of a hotel will care for two children behind bars, a court has heard. Alana Hayley Cairns, 25, was jailed for three years when she appeared in the Dunedin District Court after pleading guilty as a party to the December 22 aggravated robbery of the Law Courts Hotel.

Counsel Brian Kilkelly told the court his client was currently in prison with her 9-month-old and was expecting her fourth child in January.

Children are allowed to stay in the “Mothers With Babies Unit” until the age of 2; and of the eight mums currently incarcerated, Cairns would be the only one with two children.

Her partner 29-year-old Joshua Karl Smith and his mother Joanne Francis Smith, 47, will be sentenced in the Christchurch District Court today.

The duo also admitted the armed robbery of The Fitz sports bar five months earlier.

Cairns’ involvement was driven by fear, Kilkelly said, of her overbearing boyfriend, who had previous convictions for assaulting her.

The specifics of the Law Courts Hotel heist can now be revealed for the first time.

Cairns had been instructed to play the pokies while reporting back to the Smiths about how many staff were present. Later the plan changed.

Cairns booked a room at their request, so she could obtain the pin code to the external door for afterhours access.

Shortly before midnight the Smiths arrived; both in dark hoodies, both masked. Ultimately, they did not need Cairns’ help at all — the door was open.

While the lone staff member worked in the gaming lounge, the mother and son hid under a table in the restaurant awaiting her return.

As she walked into the office, they followed. Joshua Smith flashed a knife near her throat and instructed her to empty the cash from the safe into the backpack his mother held.

They prepared for their escape with more than $16,700 and told the victim to go to the toilets and count to 100 before she came out.

She did, but Smiths were still in the premises and they sent her back with instructions to count to 1000.

Cairns left the hotel about 5am that day, but Kilkelly said it was not to evade detection. She wanted to be home when her children woke up.

While Mrs Smith was heading back to Christchurch, police stopped Cairns and her partner as they drove down Hillside Rd. They found the backpack with only $4084 inside. The rest of the money had not been recovered, the court heard.

Cairns had no previous convictions.