A Wanaka man has been convicted of burgling three yachts in Governors Bay near Christchurch.
Thomas Willard Mathias Gibson (19) and accomplice Thomas Trevor Shine stole almost $3000 worth of items from the yachts in December 2015. They used a rowing boat to reach the yachts. Gibson admitted three charges of burglary and two of failing to answer court bail.
In the Queenstown District Court yesterday, he was sentenced to 200 hours’ community work and 12 months’ supervision, and ordered to pay $1450 reparation.
Shine was convicted at an earlier date.
Counsel Kieran Tohill said Gibson was a heavy user of methamphetamine at the time.
Gibson had since successfully completed the Salvation Army’s Bridge Programme, a residential rehab programme, in Christchurch.
"He’s effectively had two and a-half months in a restrictive environment," Mr Tohill said.
The court heard Gibson had a job offer as a farm stock handler in Rotorua.
The judge said he had decided to "take a chance" on Gibson and base the sentence around community work and supervision.
