Remorseful service station holdup man jailed for five years
A Thames man was desperate, broke and living out of a car when he organised the armed robbery of two Hauraki petrol stations earlier this year.
Mark Anthony Marriott, 23, used his girlfriend, Lucy-Ann Ross, friend Janie Bowring, 17, and another man to help carry out the aggravated robberies of the Thames Mobil and Caltex Moores Service Station in Paeroa in May.
Marriott was yesterday jailed for five years and four months by Judge Peter Spiller in the Hamilton District Court after he’d earlier admitted two charges of aggravated robbery.
On May 3, Marriott, Ross and the second man got a rifle and drove to Paeroa in Ross’ car after an earlier discussion about it. Ross parked about 800m away from the scene. As the two men walked to the service station they put on their disguises – facemasks, hoodies and bandanas – with Marriott carrying a rifle out in front of him as they walked onto the forecourt.
Marriott walked into the station first, pointing the gun at the two attendants and demanding cash and cigarettes. He threatened to shoot the attendants if they didn’t hurry up and began a countdown to put more pressure on them.
Marriott’s associate, meanwhile, filled a pillow slip with the goods before the pair ran off to where Ross was parked.
In total they fled with $1249.63 worth of cigarettes and tobacco and $375 cash.
On May 24, Marriott, Ross and Bowring were in Ross’ car in Thames when they decided to target the Thames Mobil for cash and cigarettes. Marriott put red material over his face, while Bowring used a white mask as a disguise.
Ross parked up behind the KFC – across the road from the Mobil – and the pair ran off; Marriott armed with a rifle and Bowring carrying a backpack.
Marriott ran inside, pointing the rifle at the attendant and again demanding cash and cigarettes, which Bowring put into the backpack before running off.
The pair stole $180 cash and $2383.01 in cigarettes and tobacco.
Marriott’s counsel Matthew Bates told Judge Spiller his client was sorry for what happened and said the events came about during a time of ‘‘desperation’’.
‘‘This offending occurred at a time when he’d lost his home, was living out of a car, had no assets, no resources and it was borne out of desperation and he says quite extreme poverty at that time. That’s no excuse at all but the prospects of paying reparation are virtually nothing, sir, especially as it will be some years until release.’’
In a remorseful letter to the court, Marriott wrote how he was ‘‘sincerely sorry’’ to the victims for ‘‘bringing you terror into your lives. I will never be able to turn back time or compensate you for the anxiety and damage. I have no excuses for my crimes and accept the punishment of the court.’’
Judge Spiller accepted Marriott’s remorse as genuine and took off an extra five-and-a-half months jail before coming to his final sentence.