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Offender Databases Donald Solly

Donald Herbert Solly

Alias

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Offences

Three counts of injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm in the course of a Culverden home invasion in July 2004

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1986

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 18 months in November 2004 and given leave to apply for home detention

Background
The Press. Christchurch , November 20th 2004
An apparent revenge attack on householders in Culverden went horribly wrong after the wrong victims were targeted. In the Christchurch District Court, first offender Donald Herbert Solly, 18, was jailed for 18 months by Judge David Holderness after admitting being a party to aggravated burglary and to three counts of injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The charges arose from a home invasion at Culverden on July 30.

After Solly and at least eight others travelled from Rangiora to Culverden on July 30, a house was broken into and the three occupants viciously beaten with weapons, the judge said. A 16-year-old girl had a bottle smashed on her, and two youths were hit with weapons, including an iron bar, and suffered fractures. The house suffered heavy damage, and three cars outside were damaged, one beyond repair.

None of the three had any association with Solly's group -- who had gone on some sort of revenge raid in response to an allegation. "The people you were looking for were not even there," the judge said. He accepted that Solly's involvement was less than most of the other alleged attackers. "But you were very much a party to this, Solly.

"You must have known significant violence was going to be inflicted," the judge said. "This is a case of young thugs bent on violence and causing physical harm." The court was told Solly had tried to stop the others continuing the attack once he realised what was going to happen, and had been threatened himself if he did not take part. He was affected by alcohol and peer pressure, and denied assaulting any of the victims.

Prosecutor Rosemary Roberts said it was a case of nine youths inflicting serious violence against three unarmed teenagers. Solly had to be held accountable by a custodial sentence. The judge said the court had to do what it could to denounce group violence, and to deter others. Because he was a first offender and took a lesser part, Solly would be granted leave to apply for home detention. He was also ordered to pay $548 reparation. Others allegedly involved are being dealt with separately by the courts.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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