Jail term for role in bottle-wielding aggravated robbery

Thursday, 4 May 2023

Alexander Michael Brown was sent to jail for his role in an aggravated robbery when he appeared in the Timaru District Court, but he is unlikely to be in custody for much longer, having been on remand in custody for 413 days. (File photo)

A 28-year-old man had already been custody on remand for more than 400 days when he was jailed for aggravated robbery in the Timaru District Court on Thursday.

Alexander Michael Brown appeared before Judge Campbell Savage having admitted charges covering the aggravated robbery, contravening a protection order, resisting police, escaping police custody, breaching community work and breaching supervision.

“I acknowledge you were possibly under the influence at the time this occurred … but there was a degree of premeditation,” the judge said.

“The victim was lured to the car park by a third party.

* IRD ordered to pay $75,000 for breaching real estate agent's rights

* Judge seeks stronger sentencing on family-related assaults

“You set out to get this man and you got him good and proper … a weapon, a bottle, was used, I accept the bottle didn’t break and you didn’t strike him from behind, but you advanced across the car park to him and hit him with the bottle … he was hit in the face.

“It was a reasonably concentrated attack no matter how drugged up you were at the time.”

Brown’s lawyer Aja Trinder said her client had already been 413 days in custody.

“You have been denied bail for such a long time,’’ the judge said.

Trinder and Crown prosecutor Nadine Girgis submitted their starting points for jail were three years and three years six months respectively with Judge Savage opting for three years three months.

From there extra months were added for the other convictions with Judge Savage reaching 46 months before discount 15% each for guilty pleas and the contents of the combined pre-sentence, alcohol and drugs and cultural reports.

Judge Savage said the cultural report gave him some idea of Brown’s background as to why he behaved the way he did.

A further 5% was added for remorse which reduced the sentence to two years six months “which is not enough for home detention today”.

Judge Savage said that with Brown have spent so much time in prison, it was unlikely he would be there much longer once he secures a date with the Parole Board.

“You seem to be heading in the right direction … you’ve got people around you who do care for you.”

The judge said he believed Brown had potential and all he needed to do was “use it”.