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New Zealand Police v ZJ [2020] NZYC 170

Published 01 October 2020

Sentencing —unlawfully taking cars — aggravated robbery — supervision with residence — COVID-19 — Oranga Tamariki Act 1989, s 333. The young person appeared for sentence on two charges of unlawfully taking motor vehicles and one of aggravated robbery. He had taken a car off the street. A couple of weeks later he took another car and drove it as the getaway car in an aggravated robbery where three co-offenders armed with weapons robbed a petrol station. Oranga Tamariki, the police and the young person's lawyer supported a sentence of four months' supervision. The Judge had been minded to impose a sentence of six months but due to the young person's lesser role in the offending, COVID-19 considerations and time spent in a youth justice residence while awaiting sentence, the Judge was satisfied that four months was appropriate. Judgment Date: 27 March 2020. * * * Note: names have been changed to comply with legal requirements. * * *