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The On the Spot store on Hamill Rd in Halswell, Christchurch, where the aggravated robbery took place. Photo: NZME / supplied
A lone operator of a dairy was left terrified after a group rushed into her store, confronting her with a machete and making demands.
One brandished a 20cm long blade as he jumped the counter and stole money, cigarettes, vapes and confectionery items.
Five people involved in the aggravated robbery have now been sentenced for their role, with three imprisoned.
In the Christchurch District Court this week, Judge Tom Gilbert said he had a brief victim impact statement from the 31-year-old female shopkeeper.
"It's a very grim report; she is trying to move on, but it would have clearly had an impact on her."
Judge Gilbert said the victim was vulnerable, alone, there were multiple attackers, a machete was wielded and there was premeditation in the group's offending.
"I have no doubt this would have been absolutely terrifying for the dairy owner."
The aggravated robbery
According to the summary of facts, partners Paige Kerr, 26, and Natasha Waiariki, 37, and their co-offenders Levi Le Comte, 19, Malakai Bennett, 18 and Ty Holderness-O'Neill, 18, were at a Christchurch address in June 2025 when they planned the daytime robbery.
Holderness-O'Neill had stolen a car a couple of days earlier.
They left the address in the stolen vehicle and headed for an On The Spot store on Hamill Rd in Halswell.
About 30 minutes later they arrived, with four of them entering the store as Bennett waited in the driver's seat.
Kerr brandished the machete while the rest of the group demanded money and cigarettes.
Kerr and Holderness-O'Neill jumped the counter and grabbed money, cigarettes, vapes and confectionery goods.
Waiariki also stole a number of items.
Le Comte recorded the robbery on his cellphone.
The group then fled in the stolen car before Bennett drove them back to the address where they were subsequently arrested.
Jail sentences for three of the robbers
At their sentencing, Kerr and Waiariki were each jailed for three years and eight months and given first strike warnings as violent offenders for aggravated robbery.
While Kerr had a moderate list of previous convictions for violence, dishonesty and weapons, a pre-sentence report showed there was some remorse and a "flicker" that he wanted to change, Judge Gilbert said.
Waiariki had breached her parole conditions and had a long history of dishonesty and other convictions, and was considered high risk.
Le Comte, who was also facing charges of assaulting a person in a family relationship and assaulting police, was on bail at the time of the robbery.
Judge Gilbert sentenced him to two years and eight months' imprisonment and issued him a first strike warning as a violent offender.
The court heard Holderness-O'Neill had turned 18 a few days before the robbery.
Judge Gilbert said he had cognitive issues, ADHD and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Christchurch District Court. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Holderness-O'Neill was young and a first-time offender, the judge acknowledged, sentencing him to 12 months' home detention.
The court heard Bennett also had fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. He had turned 18 two months before the robbery.
The judge said a psychologist's report showed he had a difficult childhood and was easily led.
Bennett was sentenced to 11 months' home detention.
In December last year, a spike in ram raids and violent robberies across Christchurch reignited calls for tougher retail crime laws.
At the time, Dairy and Business Owners Group spokesperson Ash Parmar said New Zealand needed to adopt a "zero tolerance approach to retail crime".
"As a retailer who has had to deal with injured and shocked staff, my heart goes out to the victims in Christchurch," Parmar said.
"Too many retail workers have been injured or killed for NZ to be complacent about retail crime."
- This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald
