Drug pusher ‘set up’ robberies

Press, 30 November 1978, Page 1

Drug pusher ‘set up’ robberies

A drug pusher provided two young addicts with shotguns, baseball bats and rental cars and set up robberies for them to commit so that they could pav for drugs they had been given on credit, Mr Justice Roper was told in the Supreme Court yesterday.

Maximum security was ' in force in the Court when the two addicts, and a third man who had been involved in an attempted ' escape from Addington Prison, were sentenced. . The prisoners appeared in ’ the dock one at a time handcuffed to a prison officer and extra policemen were present.

Dean Tumene Ngarimu, aged 19, was jailed for 51 years on nine charges — two charges of aggravated robbery, two of robbery, two of common assault, and one each of conspiracy to commit robbery, attempting to escape from Addington Prison,

and aggravated assault

Steven Laurence Bradley, aged 25, was jailed for four years on five charges — two of aggravated robbery and one each of conspiracy to commit robbery, attempting to escape from prison, and aggravated assault. Gavin John Tuira. aged 25, had the term of 18 months imprisonment he is now serving extended nine months on charges of aggravated wounding of a prison officer during an escape attempt, and attempting to escape. The three prisoners had pleaded guilty to all charges. Counsel for both Ngarimu and Bradley submitted that they had committed the offences because of their drug addiction. Tuira was not represented by counsel and had nothing to say. The prisoners refused to disclose to the police the name of the drug dealer

who set up the robberies. The offences admitted by Ngarimu and Bradley involved the aggravated robbery of Rumihana Pihama, who was driven to the Cashmere Hills, knocked unconscious and robbed of money, clothing and other possessions valued at $52; the aggravated robbery of Arthur James Chettle, a barman at the Caledonian Hotel, who was assaulted with fists and a bottle before they made off with the cash register valued at $1720 and containing $100; and the conspiracy to rob the Fapanui Hamburger Bar, where they were disturbed by a security officer. Ruth Lynette Henwood found Ngarimu and another man taking money from the till of the Independent Missionary Foundation. Miss Hen wood was struck on the head and the offenders made off with $4O. While Mrs Christine

Gibson was counting the takings in the office of the Carlton Hotel, Ngarimu threw a coat over her head, snatched $338 in cash and $Bl5 in cheques and made off.

On September 17, Ngarimu and Bradley, who were later followed by Tuira, climbed from the Addington Prison exercise yard on to an overhead catwalk and then attempted to escape by walking along a temporary fence. At the doorway Bradley struggled with Officer Corbin while Ngarimu opened the door. Ngarimu kicked the prison officer and then continued the escape attempt. Tuira, who had followed the other two prisoners, encountered Officer Corbin and struck him with a 60cm piece of pipe covered by a singlet. During the taking of depositions . in the Magistrate’s Court, Ngarimu threw a chair at Prison

Officer A. I. Milne, who was giving evidence, narrowly missing his head. Ngarimu also punched Prison Officer Etchells, to whom he was handcuffed, causing a facial injury. Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon, for Ngarimu, said that the prisoner had many convictions and all his offences since 1975 related to his craving for drugs. The probation officer’s report was sympathetic. Since the age of five, Ngarimu had been in home care, Borstal or prison much of the time. His home background was disastrous. Both his mother and father were alcoholics and he received no support from his family. AU his problems were compounded by drugs. Both Ngarimu and Bradley were getting heroin and cocaine from a dealer and at one stage they were taking a gram a day between them. The drugs were supplied by the deal-

er on credit. They were supposed to sell them but were using most of the drugs themselves. By the time the drug dealer found out what was happening they owed him thousands of dollars. As they had used the drugs to feed their own habits the dealer realised that they could not pay him. They agreed to his proposition that he supply them with guns, baseball bats and a rental car arid organised robberies for them to commit. Ngarimu was heavily hooked on drugs and he was aware of his problem. On one occasion he had attempted to set fire to himself and then there was his entirely unprovoked and irrational outburst in the Magistrate’s Court. He was in need of both medical and psychological treatment, Mr Fitzgibbon said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 7