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Offender Database Peter Matahaere

Peter Anaru Matahaere

Alias

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Offences

Aggravated robbery of two Christchurch hotels in November 2003 and January 2004
100 other convictions for armed robbery, dishonesty and prison escape

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

Patricia Mahutoto
Illya Waipouri

Gang affiliations

Black Power/ Ngatoa

Age

Born 1968

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to preventive detention with a 7 year minimum non-parole period in July 2005
Eligible for possible release from prison July 2012

Background
NZ Herald story here and also this one here, which contains this utterly classic line....."In 1992, he escaped from the premiere of a film, in which he starred, about the rehabilitation of prison inmates". Read more about this here
Department of Corrections news release here
He is the brother of murder victim George "Georgie Girl" Matehaere who was killed by Black Power member Joe Coleman

From the Christchurch Press 20th July 2005
A gun-toting armed robber who terrorised his victims will not see the outside of a jail for at least seven years after getting a sentence of preventive detention. Recidivist armed robber and jail escaper Peter Matehaere, 37, who admitted two counts of aggravated robbery and one of possessing firearms, was sentenced to New Zealand's toughest sanction and ordered to serve at least seven years non-parole by Justice Hansen in the High Court in Christchurch when he appeared last week.

According to his sentencing notes, His Honour said the offending occurred only five months after Matehaere was released on parole from his last term for aggravated robbery. Matehaere, who has two brothers in prison, said he offended this time to get money to pay for a headstone for another brother who was murdered. With an associate, he robbed Christchurch's Kingsgate Hotel on November 9, 2003, armed and disguised. He threatened to kill the elderly female night porter -- a 20- year veteran of the hotel -- who collapsed with fright. Keys to a safe were handed over and after she was tied up, the pair escaped with $1880, cheques, and phonecards worth $250. She was warned not to move for five minutes or she would be shot.

On January 5, 2004, the Russley Hotel was robbed in a similar way. The porter and manager were threatened with a shotgun and forced to empty safes and put the money in plastic bags. A total of $35,916 in cash was taken, as well as $US8500, 22,000 Chinese yen, airline tickets, passports and visas.Both robberies occurred in the early hours. His Honour said the terrible effects on victims loomed large in sentencing, especially those on the 66-year-old porter at the Kingsgate. "As a result of your offending she has had to give up work as she no longer feels able to work alone, and has had difficulty in finding another job," he said.

Her confidence had been knocked, she suffered nightmares and had difficulty sleeping. "As you removed identification from her bag and told her you knew where she lived, she does not even feel safe in her home any longer," His Honour said. One Russley Hotel victim also had to give up work, had suffered behavioural changes, and felt very angry. "With counselling and hard work she feels she has got her life back on track but remains concerned you be dealt with in a way that makes her safe in society," His Honour said. He noted Matehaere suffered extensive physical abuse from a relative as a child, offended from a young age, and later became institutionalised and set in criminal ways.

He had more than 100 convictions dating back to 1982, mostly for dishonesty, but especially relevant were several for aggravated robbery, for which he received significant jail terms. The real question in the case was whether Matehaere should get preventive detention, which he qualified for and for which the Crown asked, His Honour said. Lawyer Stephen Hembrow said it was not yet time for such a crushing sentence, and the safety of the public could be met by a long, finite sentence. Matehaere had support from whanau, and some degree of insight and empathy for the victims. He was willing to undertake rehabilitation, something he had not shown much inclination for in the past, Hembrow said.

His Honour said the reoffending so soon after release indicated an inability to stop offending, and serious emotional harm was caused to victims. Report writers said there was still a risk of violent reoffending, and past efforts at rehabilitation had not worked. It was safe to conclude that without intervention, Matehaere's risk of reoffending remained high. His Honour was conscious what a crushing sentence preventive detention was but was required by law to consider public safety. The sentence was inevitable in Matehaere's case, he said. Matehaere had escaped custody four times since 1992, most recently in October last year when he cut through bars covering his cell window using a stolen hacksaw and scaled a razor-wire fence using a knotted sheet and duvet.Once free, he visited his partner before going to hospital for cuts to his arm suffered while breaking out. He had spent much of the past 16 years behind bars.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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