Offender DatabasesViolent and Sexual Offender Databases |
Victims MemorialA memorial to those murdered in NZ in the last twenty years
EDUCATE . ADVOCATE . SUPPORT
SITEMAP(3)Where to find everything here | FAQFrequently Asked Questions | New!New on this site lately |  Chinese language summary
|
escalating violence in our community
Become a member of the
Sensible Sentencing Trust
Offender Databases
Graeme Abbott
.
Aggravated robbery x5, kidnapping, use of a firearm against a police officer, assault with intent to avoid arrest x2, theft of cars x5, unlawful possession of a firearm x2 and wilful damage from June 2003 to August 2003 while on bail
Also had more than 50 previous convictions in Australia
.
.
none known
Born 1978
Prison
Sentenced to preventive detention with a 6 and a half year minimum period in March 2004
Eligible for his parole hearing March 2010
Background
Waikato Times. Hamilton, Mar 26, 2004
Wrong sentence; Graeme Edward Abbott, 25, was sentenced to preventive detention in the High Court in Hamilton on Tuesday. A report in Wednesday's Waikato Times incorrectly stated Abbott was sentenced to 13 years' jail for the incident in August last year, during which Abbott robbed a Te Rapa bank at gunpoint taking $63,000 cash and took a Fairfield liquor store manager hostage. In fact, Abbott was sentenced to preventive detention by Justice Venning, who ordered he serve a minimum of 6 1/2 years.
Waikato Times. Hamilton, Mar 24, 2004
A transient who robbed a Te Rapa bank of $63,000 cash and then led police on a dramatic car chase before taking a Fairfield liquor store manager hostage has been sentenced to 13 years' jail.
Graeme Edward Abbott, 25, will have to serve a minimum 6 1/2 years of the sentence imposed by Justice Venning at the High Court in Hamilton yesterday.
Abbott told police a drug debt prompted him to brandish a sawn- off shotgun in the BNZ's Te Rapa branch on August 25 last year. He forced customers on to the floor before ordering two tellers to fill a bag with cash. They gave him $12,776.
He then demanded customers hand over their cash, taking $515. Still not satisfied, he demanded the manager open the ATM machine and was given three metal containers with $50,000 in cash.
As he fled to a nearby car, he dropped two of the containers. During the ensuing chase along Vardon Rd and Heaphy Tce, Abbott pointed the gun at police, rammed two police cars, drove into oncoming traffic and passed on blind corners. He stopped at Clarky's Liquor Store and at gunpoint forced manager Naresh Ahir to drive him in his car. As they drove, with armed police in pursuit, Abbott told Mr Ahir "you're going to die mate" and "I'm gonna kill you". When the car was stopped to let Abbott drive, Mr Ahir fled. Abbott took off again, but was forced off the road by police and arrested. The cash was recovered from the first car, while police found a loaded sawn-off shotgun in the second. Abbott told police he had a debt and this was the only option.
Justice Venning said given Abbott's criminal history, which included more than 50 convictions in Australia, the use of the loaded shotgun, the taking of hostages, his failure to stop when confronted by armed police and his drug abuse, the sentence was appropriate. He accepted Abbott's guilty plea, and said while the offending posed a threat and real danger to the community there was no actual assault or physical injury to anyone during the incident. Justice Venning said a finite sentence of 13 years would be appropriate and ordered Abbott to serve a minimum of 6 1/2 years.
