A Dunedin man has been locked up after threatening to rob a local bank and stab workers there.
Shannon Anthony Michael Cross, 48, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to threatening to kill.
The court heard that on May 21 the defendant was on the phone to a representative of the ASB call centre and asked about his KiwiSaver hardship application.
The call taker could not find any paperwork relating to Cross’ application and the defendant lost his temper.
During a 10-minute conversation he made multiple threats to the worker including:
"Where’s my f...... gun."
"I’ll rob and roll the bank."
"I’ll go in there today and shoot the c.... — I’ve done 25 years in jail. I don’t give a f..."
"Honestly mate, I’ll go down to the branch today and stab the b...."
The call taker ended the call as Cross began to yell over him.
In a letter to the court the victim said the incident was "disturbing".
"It’s so scary to think that he could call again," the victim said.
"He was so angry ... It was shocking — my mind froze."
Counsel Deborah Henderson said her client had a head injury, which caused him to act impulsively, and sometimes he spoke before thinking.
She said the offending happened in a moment of frustration and her client knew he needed help controlling his outbursts.
"He is willing to do whatever Probation want him to do [once he’s released] ... He does want the help," Ms Henderson said.
Judge Emma Smith highlighted the defendant’s extensive criminal history, which began in 1994, and noted this was his sixth conviction for threatening to kill.
She said the threats were highly specific and the victim took them seriously.
Judge Smith sentenced Cross to seven months’ imprisonment and ordered him to pay court costs of $148.
