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Offender Databases Jarlen Benioni

Jarlen Benioni

Alias

.

Offences

Home invasion, kidnapping, aggravated injury and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle in Cambridge in September 2006

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1990

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 4 years with parole eligibility after 16 months in December 2006

Background
NZ Lawyer 20th December 2006
A teenager, who broke into a Cambridge home and held a family at knifepoint, talked about a sacrificial lamb and slashed the chest of a man during the 90-minute ordeal. "You spoke to yourself in the third person and spoke as though you were different people," Judge Joanna Maze told Jarlen Benioni, 16, before yesterday sending him to prison for four years. Benioni was sentenced in the Hamilton District Court after earlier admitting charges of aggravated burglary, four of kidnapping, three of injuring with intent and further charges of burglary and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. Judge Maze said Benioni's actions were terrifying for the four victims - two teenagers and two adults whose names are suppressed.

Benioni had acted in a "bizarre and frightening" way. "You ordered the woman to tie up the man and forced them all to lie on the floor while continuing from time to time to hold knives to their throats and you asked about someone being a sacrificial lamb," Judge Maze said. Benioni, from Hawke's Bay, had been drinking at a party before the September 23 incident in Cambridge. Family members had arranged transport for him after the party "but things went awry very badly", Judge Maze said. Benioni broke into one house, stole car keys and the car and later abandoned it. He then disguised himself with a bandanna before going to another home, about 6.30am, with two knives.

The two adults at the house were only partially dressed and Benioni marched them around their home and taunted them. "The strength of mind of the victims and undoubtedly their courage to respond exactly to what they were told is a fact which undoubtedly allowed the situation to develop without further deterioration," Judge Maze said. "The four victim impact statements record the appalling effects of your behaviour on the victims. They were deeply distressed by what occurred. It took considerable courage to follow your instructions, to avoid antagonising you further." Family members offered reparation of $1000 to the victim of the first burglary, where the car was taken, and Judge Maze ordered Benioni to pay within 28 days.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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