From homeless in Wellington, to a home and a job in Christchurch

Homeless and unemployed for more than 20 years, William Kawhe had committed nine robberies – and the latest could have landed him in jailed for 10 years as a “third strike”.

But, after a spell in custody, he is instead being shipped out of Wellington and sent to live with an uncle in Christchurch.

Kawhe had a pattern of approaching people on the streets of Wellington late at night or early in the morning and trying to rob them.

On September 24, 2021, Kawhe and another man bailed up the driver of a ute they claimed had touched them as it was reversing into a parking space in Leeds St, in the central city. They pressed their chests against the driver, threatened him and demanded the keys to his vehicle. He handed over the keys and has not seen them since.

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Kawhe’s companion unlocked the ute and looked inside, but nothing was taken before the two men walked off.

Police found Kawhe nearby but the keys were not found, and a judge at the High Court in Wellington on Friday said the victim remained anxious about the missing keys. He had become more aware of his surroundings and worried about walking around at night, she said.

Kawhe, 37, pleaded guilty to the robbery charge and breaching an intensive supervision sentence imposed in March 2021. Part of the sentence was to report to a probation officer once a week, but he missed reporting 16 times.

Because the robbery was a “third strike” offence for Kawhe he could have been jailed for the maximum term of 10 years for robbery.

However, Justice Cheryl Gwyn sentenced Kawhe to 17 months’ jail, saying the maximum would have been disproportionately severe, so she was able to impose the sentence that was ordinarily appropriate.

Because of the time he had spent in custody already, Kawhe was to be freed almost immediately. The judge said Corrections should transfer him to a Christchurch prison so he could be released from there.

An uncle of Kawhe’s has offered him somewhere to live and a job. Kawhe had been homeless and unemployed for more than 20 years, the judge said.

Kawhe’s lawyer Phil Mitchell convinced the judge not to impose release conditions aimed at forcing assessment and treatment of Kawhe’s alcohol and methamphetamine addictions.

Mitchell said Kawhe had chronic abuse issues going back decades. His uncle would not tolerate drugs or alcohol and Kawhe would either sink or swim on a regimen of living with his uncle, having good food and a meaningful job.

One condition the judge did impose though was that Kawhe was not to return to Wellington without a probation officer’s approval for the next 18 months.