Dunedin man admits robbery

A holiday to Queenstown resulted in a Dunedin man carrying out a plot to rob a liquor store to pay for the getaway, a court has been told.

Thomas Alexander Dyson, 24, admitted two charges of aggravated robbery and driving with a breath alcohol level of 992mcg when he appeared in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.

Dyson travelled to Queenstown with his 17-year-old alleged cooffender, who had no money and has interim name suppression, by bus on August 18.

On August 19, after being refused entry into two casinos and spending the limited amount of money Dyson had for the trip on beer, wine and vodka, the pair plotted to rob Henry’s Liquor Store in the Queenstown CBD.

Dyson presented a pocket knife to the staff at the store and demanded money while his co-offender stood outside as a lookout.

He fled with $1400 before standing in the path of a solo female motorist and carjacked her $25,000 BMW.

They then led police, and members of the public, on a pursuit in the getaway car, speeding towards Arrowtown before Dyson crashed the car through a metal fence and ended up in a paddock in Dalefield. Dyson was arrested at the scene. The co-accused has plead not guilty for his involvement in the incident.

Dyson was remanded in custody until November 9 for sentencing. An Invercargill apprentice hairdresser who scored the top spot at a New Zealand Fashion Week has received another accolade.

Hannah Oxley was named the winner of the Hair Stylist’s section of the New Zealand Hair and Beauty Industry Training Organisation (HITO) Hot New Talent Competition in August. On Friday, she was named the Southern South region Industry Awards HITO apprentice of the year, making her a finalist.

The national title of HITO The overall apprentice of the year will be announced on November 22.