Man threatens midwife while attempting to steal car
Marsh approached her car while she was still in the driver’s seat and ‘‘politely’’ asked for a lift into town, the summary said.
She declined, indicating she had an appointment to meet and said he should try in the public car park for a lift.
Marsh placed his hand into his pocket and said ‘‘I’ve got a gun in my pocket and I’ll shoot you if you don’t do as I’m asking’’.
The midwife told him she did not believe he had a gun and that he would not shoot her.
He leaned into the car and tried to take the keys from the victim’s hands saying ‘‘I’m going to take your car’’.
She moved her keys away and despite being fearful, ordered him to move away from the vehicle.
He stepped back and she was able to exit her vehicle. As she was trying to lock her car, he made a second unsuccessful attempt to grab the keys.
She moved calmly away until she was out of sight and then started running to the hospital entrance to get away from the man and report the incident.
Marsh appeared at the Blenheim District Court by audio visual link on Monday. He pleaded guilty to demanding to steal, unlawfully taking a car, burglary and wilful damage.
On January 2, he had appeared in the Nelson District Court and was remanded on bail with conditions to reside at his parents’ house in the Wairau Valley.
Hours later, about 5.45pm, he entered a property in Renwick. He entered an unlocked Holden Commodore which had the keys in it. Marsh ignored the victim’s attempts to stop him driving off and continued to drive away.
In the process of fleeing, he drove through the fencing.
He then drove towards his family address in Wairau Valley. He was followed by a police car as he drove west on State Highway 63 before he came to a stop in the driveway of his family’s property.
His lawyer Kent Arnott called for a pre-sentence report with appendices, a drug and alcohol report and a Section 38 fitness to plea report. He said restorative justice had not been suitable.
Marsh was convicted, and remanded to April 6 for sentencing.