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Offender Databases Hughie Marino

Hughie Marino

Alias

.

Offences

Aggravated robbery of a Palmerston North TAB with a shotgun in July 2005
Was on parole at the time for burglary and assaulting police

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

Brendan Hewlett

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1985

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 5 years 6 months with parole eligibility after 21 months in October 2005

Background
Manawatu Standard story here
Two men at the centre of an armed robbery of a Palmerston North TAB yesterday each received prison terms totalling more than five years.

Hughie Marino, 20, and Brendan John Hewlett, 19, appeared before Judge Nevin Dawson for sentencing following the July aggravated robbery of the Cloverlea Tavern TAB. Hewlett appeared for sentence on additional charges, including burglary, theft, breaching bail and giving false details to police. The men were part of a group of four that entered the TAB about 8.30pm on July 17, armed with a loaded pump-action shotgun and wearing balaclavas. The gun was held centimetres from the cashier's face before the group made off with about $780 cash.

Their stolen car was pursued by police around Highbury before the chase was abandoned. The men were apprehended some days later. Marino was on parole at the time of the robbery, having been released from prison two weeks earlier. He had been serving time for burglary and assaulting police. Crown prosecutor Charlotte Patterson recommended a starting point of eight years in prison for the men, but urged big discounts for the pair's early guilty pleas and youth.

However, the circumstances of the robbery, and the fright it gave the cashier and half-dozen patrons in the TAB at the time were aggravating factors, she said. "It plainly would have been an absolutely terrifying experience." Hewlett's counsel, Peter Coles, said the court could easily loose track of the individual offender among the aggravating factors of the case. He told Judge Dawson his client's life "went nuts" during July. Glenn Mason, appearing for Marino, recommended a five-year starting point.

Miss Patterson was right to say that Marino had had the opportunity to get himself out of the situation before the robbery took place, and his client is lamenting the fact he didn't, Mr Mason said. "That is a decision he will live to regret for a long time." Judge Dawson, in passing sentence, blasted the men for their "completely unacceptable" acts. "You must have known of the extreme danger to members of the public . . . caused by you and your associates. "If you go along for the ride . . . you are responsible and must face the consequences." He then sentenced Hewlett to five years in prison for the TAB robbery, with a cumulative six-month term for an unrelated burglary.

Hewlett received concurrent terms for bail, driving and fraud charges. Marino received a term of five years and three months. The men will be eligible for parole at the completion of a third of their sentence.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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