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Offender Databases John Wilson

John Zachary Wilson

Alias

.

Offences

Attacked a 95 year old Flaxmere woman for $8 and a bottle of milk in July 2006

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

Wairoa Gemmell

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1990

Current Location

Currently on home detention in Hawke's Bay

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to just 15 months in October 2006
His application for home detention was successful, released January 2007

Background
NZ Herald story here
Dominion Post story 25/10/2006
A Flaxmere schoolboy who helped stalk and attack a 95-year-old for $8 and a bottle of milk has been sentenced to 15 months in jail. In broad daylight on July 9, John Zachary Wilson, 16, and his alleged co-offender followed Flaxmere pensioner Elsie Jones from her local supermarket almost to her home, a walk of about 200 metres. She was just opposite her Swansea Retirement Village house when the pair allegedly mugged her, snatching the shopping bag which contained her purse and knocking her to the ground. They allegedly ran off and divvied up their haul a short distance away, drinking the milk and taking the $8 to spend on takeaways. Mrs Jones suffered a grazed elbow and was taken to hospital for treatment. Judge Geoff Rea granted Wilson leave to apply for home detention and reduced his sentence by a few months in recognition of his early guilty plea and first-time offender status. "You knew what you were up to and you effectively stalked her," Judge Rea said in Napier District Court.

He accepted Wilson had not actually snatched the bag but said the attack had robbed Mrs Jones of a good deal of her independence. She no longer lives on her own. Addressing Wilson, he acknowledged a prison sentence would affect his future but said the incident had "blighted" Mrs Jones' future and its effects would live with her the rest of her days. He also took note of Wilson's "aggressive and arrogant" attitude, which had contributed to his original bail conditions being revoked and Wilson being placed under 24-hour curfew at home till his sentencing. Defence counsel Roger Phillip said Wilson had apologised to the victim's family, and paid his share of financial reparation. The attack had not been a spur of the moment thing, but nor was it totally premeditated. Wilson recognised the incident would severely affect his future. Crown prosecutor Russell Collins said Wilson was unlikely to have been before the courts but for this "moment of madness". "This attack on a 95-year-old was an appalling piece of conduct," he said. Wilson's alleged co-offender, Wairoa Gemmell, 18, pleaded not guilty and has been committed for trial in the High Court at Napier.

Dominion Post story 27/03/2007
Two teenage cousins who attacked and robbed a 95-year-old of $8 and a bottle of milk were called "cowards" by a judge as the older of the pair was sentenced to 21 months' jail. Wairoa Tatanapene Gemmell, 19, appeared for sentencing in Napier District Court yesterday in relation to the mugging of pensioner Elsie Jones in the Hastings suburb of Flaxmere on July 9 last year. Gemmell and his 16-year-old cousin John Zachery Wilson stalked and attacked her as she returned from buying milk at the shopping centre across the street from her unit at the Swansea Retirement Village. Mrs Jones, who needs a walking stick to move about, was followed for 200 metres before being rushed from behind and knocked to the ground by the cousins.

Gemmell snatched Mrs Jones' bag containing a bottle of milk and her purse with $8. A witness to the attack said Mrs Jones went "airborne" when hit. Wilson was sentenced to 15 months' jail on the joint charge of aggravated robbery when he appeared in Napier District Court court in October. At that sentencing, it was revealed Mrs Jones had lost her independence as a result of the attack and had moved out of the Flaxmere retirement village because she no longer felt able to live alone. Defence lawyer Trent Petherick said yesterday that though Gemmell had other convictions, there were none for violence and his age at the time of the attack, 18, should be taken into account.

"He just refers to it as a dumb idea, out of the blue," Mr Petherick said. "Gemmell accepts it was his idea and that they planned it together. He was open about that." Judge Tony Adeane said Gemmell's guilty plea to the charge of aggravated robbery had been made "belatedly", after the case had already gone through a depositions hearing requiring witnesses to be called. The judge also made note of Gemmell's application for the case to be heard away from Hawke's Bay because of a "perceived prejudice" before finally admitting the charge. Judge Adeane referred to Gemmell and Wilson as "two cowards who ran away, split the money, $4 (each), drank the milk, and threw the purse on the shop roof". "It remains that for offending of this type, the overwhelming majority of the community could feel nothing more than anger and contempt ... " Gemmell was given leave to apply for home detention.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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