Maka Vaitupu’s actions on January 25 were laid bare in the Dunedin District Court yesterday as CCTV of the incident was played for Judge Michael Crosbie.
The footage showed the defendant swiftly enter the Melbourne Dairy with a black hoodie on and a white bandanna partially covering his face.
Vaitupu immediately walked around the counter and pointed a 34cm knife at the female shopkeeper, backing her into a corner.
While loading $900 of cigarettes and tobacco into a satchel, he presented the weapon at the terrified woman then fled the store after a bungled attempt to open the till.
As he bolted across the road, a woman who had noticed what was going on ran past him and into the shop.
‘‘What a good Kiwi that is,’’ the judge said.
"The first thing she does is run in and give her a hug."
After a brief embrace withthe victim, the woman ran off in pursuit of Vaitupu, followed soon after by the victim’s partner, who had been upstairs at the time of the robbery.
While not captured on CCTV, the defendant was later caught and restrained until police arrived.
He continued to lash out, however, and hit the shop owner in the face six times before officers intervened.
He told police he had committed the robbery because there was no food or cigarettes at his mother’s house.
Vaitupu’s problems did not end there.
While in custody, he became linked to a burglary of the Golden Fleece Hotel in Waikouaiti, which had happened four days earlier.
A group had forced their way into a bottle store adjoining the pub and removed several bottles of spirits.
Vaitupu’s blood was found on the floor of the premises and he admitted his role.
The victim of the aggravated robbery said she had been "terrified" during the brief ordeal and had vowed never to work in the shop again.
Defence counsel Meg Scally stressed her client had pleaded guilty to the charges almost immediately and had shown genuine remorse.
Vaitupu read a letter in court yesterday in which he passed on his "sincerest apologies" to his victims and expressed the hope they would not feel anxious about similar events occurring in future.
The court heard Vaitupu had suffered neglect in his childhood, suffered from mental-health issues and had an alcohol problem.
Judge Crosbie reduced the sentence for those factors and urged Vaitupu to take advantage of rehabilitative opportunities while behind bars.
"It gives me no pleasure sending a young man to prison," he said.
Vaitupu was jailed for three years, four months.
