Timothy Graham Moffatt, 49, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier admitting a robbery, possessing drugs and a knife.
The court heard that on November 9, 2024, the defendant slipped into a woman’s Mosgiel home through an unlocked door.
The woman, who had known Moffatt for about 20 years, found him in her hallway.
He seemed angry and asked her to go for a drive with him, which she agreed to.
After driving for some time, Moffatt parked and told the woman she owed him money, but she said this was not the case.
He was becoming irate, so she got out of the car and started walking towards her home.
She eventually got back into the car and tried to make a phone call, but Moffatt punched her in the mouth and nose.
He pulled her towards him and stole her phone and $75 cash before throwing the phone out the window.
She urged the man to stop the car, but he refused.
Eventually Moffatt slowed down and the victim jumped out.
She was spitting blood, screaming and crying, catching the attention of a passer-by, who went to assist her.
Moffatt drove off, but later called police and told them ‘‘I’ve just been assaulted’’ and ‘‘I’m probably going to get put in jail for something I haven’t done’’.
While on bail for that offending, Moffatt was found with a variety of drugs in his car and later police found him with a knife in his pocket.
Yesterday, in a statement written to the court, the victim called Moffatt a ‘‘creep’’ and outlined the traumatic impact the offending had on her.
‘‘I feared for my life. I am scared of him. I don’t even want him to look in my direction.’’
The woman suffered multiple injuries, including cuts on her face and soreness and bruising to her foot, neck and arms.
Counsel Sarah Saunderson-Warner said her client’s offending was driven by his drug addiction, which he was motivated to kick.
He had engaged in rehabilitative programmes on bail and since he had been in custody.
Judge Hermann Retzlaff said the offending was ‘‘persistent and prolonged’’ while the victim was trapped inside the car.
The judge sentenced Moffatt to two years four months’ imprisonment and disqualified him from driving for two years as he used a vehicle to facilitate the robbery.
A protection order was made in favour of the victim and the defendant was ordered to pay her $500 for emotional harm.
A firearms prohibition order — which bans him from accessing, using or being around firearms for up to 10 years — was also made.
