Kaikohe Harris-Paul’s modus operandi was to approach his young victims as they biked in public, outnumbering them with his associates, and ask for a turn on their bike in a threatening manner.
At his sentencing in the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday, the 18-year-old was told by the judge his youth was running out but he had time to turn his life around.
The lengthy list of theft and robbery charges, including stealing a young girl’s bike while she was at school, were outlined in a summary of facts presented to the court.
On February 22, one of Harris-Paul’s victims was biking along a cycleway in Papanui. One of his associates knocked the victim off his bike, valued at $2800.
As the victim tried to get up he was grabbed by another associate by his backpack and thrown to the ground.
The group stood over the victim and demanded he hand over his phone and AirPods before punching and kicking him over the body and head multiple times and stealing his bike.
On March 1 last year, Harris-Paul went to an intermediate school carrying the front wheel of a bike.
He went to the school’s bike stand and removed the front wheel of a bike, which was locked to the stand, and replaced it with the wheel he was carrying before fleeing.
On March 31 last year, Harris-Paul again approached a victim who was cycling with a friend, asking for a turn on their bike.
The victim reluctantly agreed but then asked for it back as he needed to go home. Harris-Paul said he would go with him.
The victim’s friend left to go home.
Harris-Paul led the victim into an alleyway near Jellie Park and became increasingly aggressive, accusing him of getting his friend to call the police.
The victim repeatedly asked for his bike back, saying he needed to go home to which Harris-Paul replied: “If you say that again, I’ll beat the s*** out of you”.
He then pulled a knife out of his pocket and threatened to smash the victim before making off with his bike.
But the teen’s theft wasn’t just limited to bikes.
In January last year, Harris-Paul stole packets of steak and bacon from Countdown at Northlands Mall by shoving them down his pants and leaving the store.
On February 5 last year, Harris-Paul and a co-offender were seen driving a car that had been stolen from the owner’s driveway in Spreydon.
That same day the pair went into Pascoes the Jewellers at Northlands Mall, asking staff to try on watches.
When given a Seiko watch, valued at $1425 they left the store without paying for it.
Twenty minutes later the pair went to another Pascoes at The Palms Mall and again asked to try on watches.
They tried on a Seiko watch valued at $1200 and a G-Shock watch valued at $1249 before the co-offender said, “I will have that”, and they both left the store without paying.
A few days later, in Redwood Minimart Harris-Paul stole a phone, valued at $400 that a customer had accidentally left on the counter.
Harris-Paul was charged with five counts of theft, unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle, aggravated robbery, intimidation, unlawfully taking a bicycle, and robbery.
Lawyer Todd Nicholls said his client was a young man who had made a “series of poor decisions” and reports provided to the court highlighted his challenging background.
The Crown prosecutor said the harm caused to the victims was significant which Harris-Paul showed “little to no” understanding of.
The prosecutor said any credit for Harris-Paul’s youth should be minimal, given his previous convictions.
Judge Campbell Savage said the credit Harris-Paul continued to be given for his youth would not last forever.
“I acknowledge you didn’t have an easy start to life but that’s not a card you can keep playing,” the judge said.
Judge Campbell said the young defendant needed to reflect on his actions and the harm he had caused his victims.
“You’re only a kid and you’ve got a lot of time left, use it wisely.”
The judge imposed an end sentence of two years and 11 months imprisonment.
-By Emily Moorhouse
Open Justice multimedia journalist
