Ross Giblin / Stuff
William Kawhe had a pattern of approaching and trying to rob people on the street. (File photo)
Homeless and unemployed for more than 20 years, William Kawhe had committed nine robberies – the last of which could have seen him jailed for up to 10 years as a “third blow”.
But after a period in custody, he is instead shipped out of Wellington and sent to an uncle in Christchurch.
Kawhe had a pattern of approaching people on the streets of Wellington late at night or early in the morning and try to rob them.
On September 24, 2021, Kawhe and another man overtook the driver of a car they claimed to have touched while backing up in a parking lot in Leeds St, in the central city. They pressed their chests to the driver, threatened him and demanded the keys to his vehicle. He handed over the keys and hasn’t seen them since.
READ MORE:
* Cuba St-kisser who finally defeated ‘three strikes’, convicted again and given freedom
* Judge ‘stunned’ Crown has not offered payout to ‘Cuba St kisser’ wrongly sentenced to seven years in prison
* ‘Sieg heil, get out of your car’ man yells as he steals car
* Robber’s second attack robs him of parole
Kawhe’s companion unlocked the ute and looked inside, but nothing was taken before the two men walked away.
Police found Kawhe nearby, but the keys were not found, and a Wellington Supreme Court judge said Friday the victim continued to worry about the missing keys. He had become more aware of his surroundings and worried about walking around at night, she said.
Kawhe, 37, pleaded guilty to the robbery and violation of an intensive surveillance sentence imposed in March 2021. Part of the punishment was to report to a probation officer once a week, but he missed 16 reports.
Because the robbery was a “third assault” for Kawhe, he could have faced a maximum prison sentence of 10 years for theft.
However, Judge Cheryl Gwyn sentenced Kawhe to 17 months in prison, saying the maximum would have been disproportionately harsh, so she was able to impose the sentence that would normally have been appropriate.
Ross Giblin / Stuff
Kawhe had been homeless and unemployed for over 20 years. (File photo)
Because of the time he had already spent in custody, Kawhe would be released almost immediately. The judge said Corrections should transfer him to a Christchurch prison so he could be released there.
An uncle of Kawhe has offered him a home and a job. Kawhe had been homeless and unemployed for more than 20 years, the judge said.
Kawhe’s attorney, Phil Mitchell, convinced the judge not to impose terms of release aimed at enforcing the assessment and treatment of Kawhe’s alcohol and methamphetamine addiction.
Mitchell said Kawh had had chronic abuse problems for decades. His uncle would not tolerate drugs or alcohol and Kawhe would either sink or swim on a regime of cohabitation with his uncle, good food and a meaningful job.
One condition the judge did set was that Kawhe would not be allowed to return to Wellington for the next 18 months without permission from a probation officer.