A Dunedin man who disguised himself and stole 40 items of women’s underwear from a student flat has avoided a conviction for the crime. The man, aged in his 40s, was also successful in his bid to keep his identity under wraps. But the reasons why the defendant was not convicted and cannot be named cannot be reported after Judge Noel Walsh made wide-reaching suppression orders. The man appeared in the Dunedin District Court on Tuesday after earlier admitting a charge of burglary. The court heard that on March 14 he drove to the North Dunedin area and entered the flat through an open bedroom window. He left the property briefly, went back inside and spent about 10 minutes in at least three bedrooms, a police summary said. He put 40 items of female underwear in a bag before leaving through the same bedroom window. The underwear was valued at more than $1000, the court heard. In explanation, the defendant told police he stole the underwear as a “prank” and “to inconvenience the victims”. In a letter to the court, the thief said he had “made a terrible mistake”. “The guilt inside me will never go away,” he wrote. “I understand I committed a crime and it is unforgivable.” Judge Walsh said the offending was “a violation of the occupants’ right to privacy” and did not accept the man’s explanation for the crime. “You say you had no idea why you stopped at a random address . . . and removed 40 items of female underwear,” the judge said. “Your explanation does not wash with me. I unequivocally reject it.” Judge Walsh accepted the defendant was sorry. The judge suppressed the reasons for granting the discharge without conviction and for granting final name suppression. He also ordered that the man’s occupation, his disguise and other personal details about him not be reported. The judge ordered the defendant to pay emotional harm reparation of $500 to each of the four flatmates whose home was burgled. felicity.dear@odt.co.nz
