A former patched member of the Black Power gang who had decided to start a new chapter of the gang, has admitted his part in the aggravated robbery of the Regent Night'n Day in Dunedin.
Damian Karl Wereta (31) pleaded guilty to the indictably laid charges of aggravated robbery, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and demanding with menace as well as one charge of threatening, when he appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.
He was handcuffed and accompanied by one prison guard in the dock. Three guards stood outside the dock.
The summary of facts on the aggravated robbery and unlawful taking charges said Wereta was a former patched Black Power member who was released from the Otago Corrections Facility on June 14 this year. He had decided to start his own gang chapter with associates.
About 12.30am on June 20, he stole a car and travelled in it to the Regent Night'n Day in Regent Rd.
With his face covered with a balaclava and armed with a knife, he entered the store, approached the sole male employee working at the time, held the knife to his neck and pushed him to the ground.
Wereta then demanded cash and walked the employee to the till, where he grabbed the cash and put it in a bag.
He demanded the safe be opened and six float bags were then taken from the safe.
He left the store after abandoning an attempt to tie the employee up.
A total of $1481.90 in cash and $307.23 worth of cigarettes was taken.
The dairy employee received scratching to his nose and swollen arm.
As Wereta left the store, he made a female getting out of her car lie on the ground. He then fled.
The car was located later and had been written-off.
Wereta also pleaded guilty to an indictably laid charge of demanding with menace in relation to threatening violence against Josh Marc Hotton between June 28 and July 5 unless he pay $1000, and stealing his car.
Wereta also pleaded guilty to threatening a security manager at Otago Correctional Facility on August 31.
While walking to a prison van he lunged towards staff and threatened to "smash'' prison officers, and then shouted to one several threats including that he was going to "kill you and put a bullet in you [sic] head.''
Wereta was remanded in custody for sentencing on December 23.
