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Offender Databases Gavin Terrill

Gavin John Terrill

Alias

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Offences

Armed robbery, injuring with intent and assault with intent to rob in 2005
Also threatening a witness

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1970

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 8 years with a non parole period of 5 years 4 months in February 2006

Background
From the Daily News Feb 23, 2006
A man who ran a campaign of intimidation and violence against another man was sentenced to eight years in jail yesterday. In the New Plymouth District Court, Gavin John Terrill (36) pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery, injuring with intent, assault with intent to rob, and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He was to go to a defended hearing next week. Terrill, unemployed, went with an associate to the victim's house on April 17 last year, demanding he drive them wherever they wanted to go. At Terrill's house, the man was headbutted, punched, knocked unconscious and made to clean up his own blood. Later, still bleeding, he staggered 1500m to his house. Once released from hospital, he went into hiding. On May 12, at a friend's home, Terrill grabbed the victim by his jersey, put his arm across his throat, pinned him to the wall outside the front door and demanded his cashflow card.

About 1am on May 18, the victim answered a knock at his door. Terrill burst in and held a pistol to the victim's head. Two balaclava-clad men stood behind him. Terrill threatened the victim and a backpack and TV clock radio set was taken. He was saved only when neighbours went to investigate. Between August 26 and September 19, Terrill made a phone call from prison to a witness in the case, telling them not to give evidence. Crown prosecutor Justin Marinovich asked for a sentence of eight to nine years, saying the victim was now in hiding and living in fear. "(During the first assault) He thought that was it for him," he said. "He thought he was going to die." Terrill's defence counsel, Turitea Bolstad, asked Judge Louis Bidois to keep the sentence to a minimum. She said the incident had come as a result of her client being released from jail. "He made contact with old associates and everything went out the window."

Terrill had a long history of convictions and institutionalisation. Judge Bidois told Terrill that his victim had to relocate as a result of his experience. "It has changed the way he treats people, he doesn't trust anyone and fears for his safety," he said. Judge Bidois treated the aggravated robbery, with a maximum sentence of 14 years, as the lead sentence. The charge of assault with intent to rob resulted in a sentence of five years and injuring with intent got nine months, all concurrent on the 7 1/2 years for aggravated robbery. Attempting to pervert the course of justice struck at the heart of justice, the judge said, sentencing Terrill to a further six months' jail. Terrill will serve two-thirds of this time before being eligible for parole. "I've been judged by you today but there's a higher power (the victim) will be judged by on the day," Terrill said to the judge. "As will I," the judge replied.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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