Keeping the community safe is not manifestly unjust

Stuff reports:

A man who drove around two Bay of Plenty towns threatening people up with a sawn-off shotgun to take their shoes, watches and phones has been jailed for 14 years after clocking up his “third strike” offence.

This is excellent, as without three strikes he might have got a sentence of just a few years.

In the space of a few days he pointed a sawn-off shotgun at four different groups of people robbing them. He pulled people out of cars and and punched and kicked them. He rammed another car on purpose.

And this was not just him having a bad day. He has four previous convictions for aggravated robbery. He has never had a job and has been a patched member of two gangs.

But despite this the Judge thought it would be manifestly unjust to make the 14 years without parole, so he is eligible for parole in less than five years.

On the plus side, I can’t see the Parole Board releasing him anytime soon, so he may end up serving the full 14 years unless he changes.