escalating violence in our community Become a member of the Sensible Sentencing Trust

Mouseover links for full page descriptions

Offender Databases Roger McKernan

Roger Prince McKernan

Alias

.

Offences

Aggravated robbery of dairy in Invercargill with a knife in January 2006

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1989

Current Location

Was on home detention

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to two years in April 2006
Front-end home detention granted September 2006

Background
From The Southland Times April 2006
An Invercargill teenager, whose battle for life in the past four years has touched many people, started a two-year jail sentence last night. Roger Prince McKernan, 17, appeared in the Invercargill District Court on a charge of aggravated robbery and was sentenced by Judge Kevin Phillips to two years' jail. McKernan was granted leave to apply for home detention. He stood motionless in the dock, with family and friends in court to support him, as Judge Phillips read out the case facts. At 7.30am on Sunday, January 29, McKernan went into the Pomona St Discount Store and walked around the aisles. He didn't respond when he was approached by an assistant, the judge said. He knelt down and eventually answered when the shop assistant asked again if he was all right.

McKernan continued to stand around in the store and was asked again if he was okay; again he said he was. He then asked to see a cigarette lighter, looked at it and put it back. He next asked for two $40 Telecom phone cards, which he was given. He put his hand into his left trouser pocket and pulled out a kitchen knife, asking if he could have the cards for free, Judge Phillips said. McKernan held the knife out at chest height, pointing towards the shop assistant. When another assistant moved towards the phone to call the police, McKernan pointed the knife at her, told her not to move and ordered her to stand beside the first assistant. Continuing to hold out the knife, he asked for two packets of cigarettes, picked them up with the phone cards and left the store, the judge said.

Defence lawyer Hugo Young said it was still not clear why McKernan had committed the crime but he had felt pressure to pay a $90 drug debt. In his defence, he made no attempt to disguise himself and entered an early guilty plea. McKernan had also requested interim name suppression be lifted. However, his mental state at the time of the incident was of concern, Mr Young said. "A forensic nurse who saw him at the police station ... says he was wanting to die, that there was evidence of superficial scratching on him .. that he had been scratching himself. "There's an element of someone who's just given up hope and done this knowing he's going to get caught, going to get punished and done it anyway."

Judge Phillips said McKernan's life was an ongoing tragedy. "I accept that the traumas of your injury you suffered when you were 13 are ongoing and has had a profound ... effect on your life. "But I also say many people, young people, are traumatised and injured at your age ... and these people have not resorted to criminal actions. "It appears to me that you have an inability to cope with the situation you have found yourself in after your accident four years ago. It's difficult for me to appreciate." McKernan had also resorted to alcohol and cannabis use. The charge of aggravated robbery was one of the most serious in the criminal calendar, the judge said. This case included an element of premeditation. "I want to promote responsibility in you and an acknowledgment from you as to the harm you have caused. "I need to denounce ... in this court this type of action and to deter any others ... from this action. I need to protect the community." But he took note of McKernan's continuing physical problems. "No matter how long (the sentence is), it is longer and more difficult for you than any able-bodied person," he said.

---

Corrections and Additional Information
We endeavour to make this database as accurate as possible, but we are at the mercy of whatever information we can find in various online and offline archives. We rely on the public - that is, people like you - to fill in the gaps that we cannot. If you wish to submit additional information or a correction to this file CLICK HERE . Privacy: Trust policy is that all sources are treated as strictly confidential unless we are explicitly told otherwise. If you wish to see a file removed from this database certain conditions must be met by the offender set out HERE Note that this does NOT apply for those that are the primary offender in a murder, rape, or any sexual offending involving minors. We do not enter into correspondence regarding the guilt/innocence of offenders. Such correspondence is not responded to, especially if the offender concerned has a number of prior convictions

Back to Top