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Makarini Solomon
.
Multiple armed robberies and assault with intent to rob in Christchurch in mid 2004
Had over 80 previous convictions including rape, aggravated robbery, domestic violence, burglary, driving under the influence of drugs, driving while disqualified, taking undersized paua and exceeding the allowable limit of paua, receiving stolen items, failing to stop for police, disorderly behaviour, resisting arrest etc etc etc
.
Che Preston
none known
Born 1970
Prison
Sentenced to 9 years for the rape conviction in July 1990
Sentenced to 18 months in August 2001 for the driving and other offences
Sentenced to 9 years with only a 4 year 6 month non-parole period in March 2005 for the armed robberies
Background
From The Press , 11th March 2005
A plea from Ngai Tahu head Mark Solomon has helped prevent his cousin, a convicted rapist and a serial armed robber, being sentenced to preventive detention. Makarini Jason Solomon's latest crime spree -- armed raids of four Christchurch hotels in less than a week -- was so serious police had feared someone would be killed if the robbers were not stopped. After Solomon was arrested police said his 20-year record of serious violent offences justified preventive detention, an indefinite sentence reserved for the worst offenders and allowing them to be kept in custody until deemed not to pose a risk to the community.
But in the High Court in Christchurch, Justice Hansen narrowly stepped back from sentencing Solomon, 35, to preventive detention, in part because of the letter from Ngai Tahu kaiwhakahaere Mark Solomon, vowing whanau support for his cousin. Instead he imposed a nine-year jail term and ordered Solomon to serve at least half before becoming eligible for parole. "Whether or not you can convince the Parole Board that you should be released will depend greatly on what your whanau can put in place to support you," he said. "If you offend in this way again, preventive detention will be inevitable."
Michael Knowles, defending, also represented Solomon in the High Court in Christchurch in July 1990, when he was sentenced to nine years jail for raping a woman while on the run from a prison term imposed for his part in the armed robbery of a building society. At the time, Knowles asked the court not to impose a sentence that would snuff out all hope for Solomon, who was then aged 20. In court yesterday, Knowles argued against preventive detention, "which is a crushing sentence that will snuff out the light at the end of the tunnel for people like Solomon".
He said Solomon's family in Kaikoura would support him towards a law-abiding future. "You can have at least some confidence in responsible members of his family. Mark Solomon, chairman of Ngai Tahu, is his first cousin and has written in support," Knowles said. His Honour responded: "That begs the question where was the support in the last 10 years when Makarini Solomon continued to offend? It was there and it didn't work."Prosecutor Brent Stanaway said Solomon had more than 80 previous convictions and was rated as a high risk of reoffending.
"A large proportion of his offending is to support him financially as he has turned his back on legal means of making a living. He resorts to particularly violent offending when he needs money quickly and in quantity," he said. "Some victim-impact reports (from the four hotel raids) have been obtained and they describe the profound and long-lasting negative impact of this offending. "His Honour said Stanaway's submissions "had some force" and told Solomon: "It's clear you are a high risk of reoffending. You must be aware that if you ever come back to court for offending of this sort, preventive detention will be almost inevitable."
From The Press November 2004
The leader of an armed robbery gang has pleaded guilty to a series of raids on Christchurch hotels.
Makarini Jason Solomon, 34, was caught after one of the Christchurch police's most intensive manhunts in recent years, prompted by fears someone would be killed by the spate of offending that saw four hotels robbed in six days. In the Christchurch District Court, Solomon was remanded in custody after pleading guilty to three armed robberies and a fourth charge of assault with intent to rob.
Sergeant Mike Heyward said the first robbery was on the Cube Bar in central Christchurch on July 27 when Solomon and an unidentified associate burst into the bar just before 8pm.
From The Press August 2001
A recidivist disqualified driver who also pleaded guilty to receiving has found his background catching up with him.
In the Christchurch District Court yesterday, Makarini Jason Solomon, 31, a carver, who admitted two counts of receiving, failing to stop for police, disorderly behaviour, and resisting arrest, was jailed for 18 months by Judge Eric Anderson.
Sergeant Paul Brocas told the court some of the property from two burglaries, including a $5000 house burglary, had been found at Solomon's house, as well as evidence a stolen safe had been opened there. Solomon denied knowledge of the burglaries, but admitted buying some of the property and allowing friends to use his garage and tools ..
