Jailed after botched Fairfield Takeaways robbery

Dylan Kinnaird (25) in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.PHOTO: ROB KIDD
Dylan Kinnaird (25) in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.PHOTO: ROB KIDD
Police investigate the robbery of Fairfield Takeaways in January. PHOTO: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Police investigate the robbery of Fairfield Takeaways in January. PHOTO: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A botched robbery of a Dunedin shop which left a knife-wielding man empty-handed has resulted in a jail sentence of more than two years.

Dylan Vincent Michael Kinnaird (25) armed himself with a serrated kitchen knife, jumped into a friend's car and headed to Fairfield Takeaways on Main Rd on January 20.

With a hoodie covering his head and clothing pulled over his face, Kinnaird walked into the store.

``You went into the takeaway shop waving a knife at the female attendant, aggressively demanding money,'' Judge Kevin Phillips said.

The woman's husband heard the commotion and came to the shop front, telling the defendant they had no cash to give him.

Frustrated, Kinnaird punched a food cabinet and left without a cent.

He eventually pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated robbery.

The Dunedin District Court heard the couple who owned the shop lived in the same building and their young twins were playing in the next room.

Crown prosecutor Marie Grills said the proximity of the children had had a huge impact on the victims.

``Because of the trauma and because of what you did, they decided to get out of this type of business and the premises are for sale,'' Judge Phillips said.

``They want to continue to live in New Zealand but no longer have any faith or trust in Dunedin. You've ruined that for them as well.''

Defence counsel John Westgate said his client was under the influence of drugs at the time.

Kinnaird was supported by his family in court and his counsel referred to a letter written by the man's grandmother.

``[She] said after the drugs got hold of him, he was like a zombie,'' Mr Westgate said.

The judge said Kinnaird was lucky he had so many people who cared for him but pointed out this type of incident was symptomatic of the country's growing methamphetamine problem.

``There's an avalanche of this type of offending in New Zealand at the moment,'' he said. ``I don't think I'm overstating it.''

He described the letters written on Kinnaird's behalf as ``too little, far too late''.

``You should have thought of the consequences on your family and on the community generally before you went in that shop armed and disguised,'' the judge said.

The prison term the defendant was about to begin would see him go ``cold turkey'' but Judge Phillips said he needed to develop the skills to stay off drugs permanently.

Kinnaird was jailed for two years three months and advised to take advantage of any rehabilitative programmes offered behind bars.

 

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