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R v Royal [2018] NZDC 7107

Published 13 March 2019

Sentencing — aggravated robbery — threatening grievous bodily harm — unlawful actions in relation to motor vehicles. The defendant appeared for sentencing on nine charges, including unlawful actions in relation to three motor vehicles, aggravated robbery, driving in a dangerous manner, threatening to cause grievous bodily harm, theft and two burglaries. There was an additional charge of burglary and a charge of breach of parole conditions added to the charge notice. The Judge thoroughly recounted the facts of the defendant's offending, and noted that a starting point of 11 and a half years' imprisonment was possible based on the volume of offending. However the Judge, when viewing the offending in totality, reduced that to eight years. A discount for the defendant's guilty pleas reduced the sentence to six years and four months' imprisonment. Therefore the final sentence was six years four months on the charge of aggravated robbery. The remaining charges, relating to the motor vehicle offending, burglary, theft, threatening, intentional damage, dangerous driving and failing to stop, were to be served concurrently. Judgment Date: 12 April 2018.