A 35-year-old man’s “beautification” efforts at a Christchurch backpacker hostel were not appreciated. The repair bill is $500.
James William Gray repainted a room with large heart motifs that were highly decorative – some would say messy.
Banksy they weren’t, and that led to Gray’s arrest on a charge of intentional damage at the end of a string of nuisance offences that led half-way down the South Island.
Christchurch District Court Judge Brian Callaghan took into account at Gray’s sentencing that he had already served 10 weeks in custody on remand – the equivalent of a five-month jail term.
So he released Gray on intensive supervision for a year with special conditions that will allow him to undergo alcohol rehabilitation, and ordered him to pay about $171 for the unrecovered items he stole, and $500 for the damage at the backpackers.
Defence counsel Bridget Ayrey told the court that Gray said he had arranged for friends to repair the damage to the hostel’s paint scheme. Judge Callaghan said if that checked out, he could apply to the court to have the reparation order dropped.
Gray admitted nine charges including shoplifting, theft, intentional damage, and fraud. An assessment by a forensic psychiatric nurse concluded there was no evidence of psychosis, and his behaviour was brought on by alcohol addiction issues.
Gray left Wellington in September to come to Christchurch “to be closer to his support network”, Miss Ayrey said.
He tricked a hotel in Picton, saying his employer had booked a room there for him. He then headed south, stealing sunglasses, and food and grocery items. When he arrived in Christchurch, he stole cider from a supermarket, took a bicycle from a backpackers but returned it undamaged within minutes, and did his paintwork in a room. Lastly, he stole more alcohol from a supermarket at Redcliffs.
“It is low-level nuisance offending but I accept that it does have an effect on the retailers,” she said.
Judge Callaghan noted that Gray had sobered up and his health had improved during the last 10 weeks in custody.
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