A Carterton woman said she had felt “stunned, angry, and betrayed” after finding she had been burgled.
She was just one victim in a string of thefts which took place in Carterton and Wellington between December 2015 and January 2016.
Trent Marr Grimmer,24, pleaded guilty yesterday at the Masterton District Court for receiving about $16,500 worth of stolen goods.
These items included a Moroku shotgun, ammunition, a Queen Service Medal, a miniature suffrage medal, a Canon camera and accessories, a cashbox, a skateboard, and jewellery.
The items were found in Grimmer’s Carterton sleep out, along with cannabis.
Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Nick Newbery said Grimmer was not being charged with the burglaries, but faced one charge of receiving multiple stolen goods.
Grimmer appeared before Judge Barbara Morris and pleaded guilty to receiving the stolen items as well as to charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possessing cannabis and cannabis paraphernalia.
A victim impact statement was read out by the Carterton woman, who told how the burglary had caused her to become “anxious, depressed, and frustrated”.
She told the court she was “angry” that someone had stood at the foot of her bed and searched through her drawers.
She had moved from Auckland to Carterton “to enjoy a quiet life” and to be a part of her daughter’s family life, and for some time had no longer enjoyed living in her “beautiful house because of the intrusion”.
Items taken from her home included “treasured jewellery” that held “special memories”.
Police executed a search warrant at Grimmer’s home on September 29.
Lawyer Frank Minehan said Grimmer had for the past year “felt himself to be in unsafe circumstances” after being the victim of a “vicious assault”.
Grimmer had “felt insecure and clearly made an error in judgement, feeling he needed a firearm for his protection”, Mr Minehan said.
He also said Grimmer played a key role in his family’s household.
“His father seriously suffers from emphysema. He does care for his father and nana.”
Mr Minehan noted items of the “most personal and intimate value such as the Queen’s Memorial Medals have been returned.”
He said his client was “a person of significant talent”, who had been “caught up in some rather dark circumstances”.
He said imprisonment would “shipwreck” Grimmer’s future employment opportunities.
Mr Minehan asked the judged if his client could be released on bail so he could sit his UCOL exams.
Judge Morris said in order for a burglary to occur there needed to be a demand for stolen goods, and she was troubled he had been in possession of a firearm.
The judge granted Grimmer bail to enable him to complete his studies.
His conditions included a 24-hour curfew, unless he was attending court or UCOL, and he had to report to probation by 5pm yesterday.
Grimmer was remanded until November 23 for sentencing.
