A pair of Dunedin residents were shocked to find they narrowly avoided a burglar armed with a gun in their house.
Hemi Sampson Tipa-McQueen, 25, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week after admitting a charge of aggravated burglary and three charges of disqualified driving.
The court heard that about 4.30pm on April 18 the defendant entered a Dunedin home with a single-barrel, cut-down firearm.
Tipa-McQueen’s actions were captured on security cameras, which the victims checked when they noticed their back door was open.
A few days later, police executed a search warrant at the defendant's home.
Inside the backpack that Tipa-McQueen was wearing during the burglary they found a loaded cut-down firearm.
The victims were first-time home owners and said they had only briefly left the house that day.
Judge David Robinson said it was "simply a matter of good luck" the occupants did not come home while Tipa-McQueen was there as they had gone out just moments before he entered.
He said they were "very significantly traumatised" and moved away after the incident.
"You’ve destroyed that for them, the enjoyment of a first home, that sense of safety, that sense of security," the judge said.
Judge Robinson was concerned about the use of a firearm.
"The fact that you took a gun with you means that you contemplated at least presenting it if confronted.’’
"It was there to scare people at the very least.’’
Counsel Deborah Henderson said her client was grappling with a methamphetamine addiction and had ties to the Mongrel Mob.
Ms Henderson said Tipa-McQueen was keen to address his substance abuse issues but had background issues that made it difficult.
"The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak," she explained.
Judge Robinson said the defendant had expressed a desire to get clean before, but continued to reoffend.
He had 10 prior convictions for burglary, the court heard.
"If you continue to be associated with a gang, inevitably you're going to be involved in what they get up to," the judge said.
"You need to stay away from the alcohol, the cannabis and the meth because they're all going to lead you right back here."
Judge Robinson sentenced Tipa-McQueen to two years and eight months’ imprisonment and disqualified him from driving for six months.
He also made a firearm prohibition order which prohibits high-risk offenders from accessing firearms.
