Snubbed man broke into brother’s house and stole meat while family away

A MAN snubbed by his family at Christmas took revenge by breaking into his brother’s house and stealing meat while he and his family were away on holiday.

Shaun Robert O’Connor (38) was yesterday sentenced by

Judge Raoul Neave in the Invercargill District Court over the burglary in Invercargill on December 28.

Judge Neave said O’Connor had not been invited to his family’s Christmas celebrations — ‘‘I suspect for good reason’’.

A text sent by O’Connor to his brother asking how his holiday was going was completely out of character.

‘‘As we know now this was to check they [his brother and his family] weren’t at their own address,’’ Judge Neave said.

O’Connor, Tama Te Kani and O’Connor’s partner all went to the house.

It was Te Kani who took the window pane from the garage so they could get access to the house.

Counsel Tanya McCullum yesterday said O’Connor went to the house initially but did not go back again when Te Kani went to take more from the house.

This was backed up by a statement Te Kani made to police which said O’Connor ‘‘chickened out’’.

While O’Connor took only a few items from the garage, the house was ransacked by Te Kani who Judge Neave said he suspected was a much more seasoned offender.

O’Connor’s participation in the burglary was out of character but was still premeditated and cynical and was a huge breach of trust, Judge Neave said.

He believed addiction issues were at the root of his offending.

Judge Neave sentenced him to six months’ community detention and 12 months’ supervision and ordered him to pay $3500 reparation to his brother.