A supermarket employee’s stealing was the tip of the iceberg, its owners allege.
Four Square Arrowtown owners Brendon and Amanda Colmore-Williams are in no doubt their former duty manager, Craig Livingston, stole thousands more than the $1790 cash for which he was charged.
Reading her victim impact statement at Livingston’s sentencing in Queenstown’s court on Monday, Amanda said getting a call from Foodstuffs’ security manager last year about the offending had come as a shock, but explained discrepancies in the store’s stocktakes during the more than two years he worked for them.
The charge, of theft as a servant, only covered the three-month period for which CCTV evidence was available.
Police say Livingston, 53, mostly worked at the store’s cash registers, processing eftpos transactions and handling cash.
CCTV captured him pocketing cash from customers or the tills on 165 occasions between July 15 and October 10 last year.
Counsel Ben Alexander said the defendant was experiencing financial and mental health difficulties at the time.
He was ‘‘extremely remorseful and embarrassed’’, had repaid the $1790, and made donations totalling $950 to the Starship Foundation.
Livingston sought a discharge without conviction because of the consequences for his immigration status and future employment prospects.
As a dual British-Australian national, he could be forced to choose between staying in New Zealand — where he’s lived for the past 20 years — or relocating to Australia and being unable to travel between the two countries.
Judge Russell Walker told Livingston the victims had considered him a friend, and the offending had been a ‘‘betrayal of their trust’’.
‘‘They believe your offending is the tip of a much bigger iceberg over the course of two years.’’
Although the defendant claimed his actions were driven by ‘‘desperation and necessity’’, he accepted his mental health and financial issues were no excuse.
In this case, a conviction would not lead to a deportation liability notice, and any impact on his future employability was an ‘‘ordinary consequence’’ of a conviction.
He noted the defendant had already been granted a discharge without conviction for earlier offending.
Walker declined the discharge application, and sentenced Livingston to 75 hours’ community work and 12 months’ supervision.
The couple tell Mountain Scene they’re looking forward to putting the episode behind them, but hope the outcome safeguards any future employers of Livingston from a similar experience.
“We’re a small, family-run business serving our local community, and over the last eight years we’ve worked hard to become a tight-knit team who’re more like a family,’’ Amanda says.
‘‘There’s lots of trust in volved, so when this happened, we were naturally devastated.’’
Coward’s punch
A Queenstown man’s unprovoked attack on two men outside a bar could have had fatal consequences, Walker says.
Sentencing Luke Antony Buist-Jones, 30, Walker told him only ‘‘sheer good luck’’ prevented him from causing the death of either man.
Buist-Jones was charged with injuring with intent to injure and assault with intent to injure in relation to the assaults, which occurred outside a Shotover St bar at about 2.30am on April 20.
Police say he hit the first victim in the face with a ‘‘coward’s punch’’, causing him to fall to the footpath.
After exchanging words with the second victim, the defendant kicked him in the chest and face, then punched him twice to the jaw, knocking him out and causing him to fall ‘‘face first’’ to the ground.
Walker sentenced Buist-Jones to six months’ community detention, 12 months’ supervision, and ordered him to pay $750 emotional harm
reparation to the second victim.
Other sentences
● Alberto Egido Garcia, 35, chef, Spanish national, of Arrowtown, careless driving causing injury, Littles Rd, Dalefield, December 21, discharged without conviction, reparation $3000, disqualified six months.
● Daniel Roy Uncles, 53, of Arthurs Point, theft (items valued at $73.56 from Mitre 10 Queenstown), theft (crowbar), February 21, Queenstown, reparation $73.56, nine months’ supervision.
● Kresimir Vidovic, 35, computer programmer, of Sydney, drink-driving (1103mcg), Frankton Rd, August 5, Queenstown, fined $1000, disqualified 12 months.
● Charles Dechene, 30, hospo worker, of Wānaka, drink-driving (132mg), Ardmore St, July 24, fined $650, medical and analysis fees $291.99, disqualified six months.
● Marcus Joseph Chapman, 42, of Wānaka, cultivating cannabis, November 1; receiving (mountain bike), November 9, 75 hours’ community work, reparation $1500.
● Derek Ashby Philips, 21, shearer, of Omakau, dangerous driving, State Highway 1, Auckland, April 24, fined $1000, disqualified nine months.
● Joshua Greg Allen, 33, of Invercargill, injuring with reckless disregard, November 24, Queenstown, 300 hours’ community work, emotional harm reparation $1500, 15 months’ intensive supervision.
