Milk thieving man avoids the can

The Tauranga man who stole more than 4000 litres of milk was sentenced in the Tauranga District Court today.

Peter Mark Gillard, 51, was sentenced to 420 hours of community service and $9132 in reparations for the theft of more than 2000 two-litre bottles of milk and dairy products from a Mount Maunganui depot earlier this year.

Peter Mark Gillard.

Gillard earlier pleaded guilty three charges of burglary relating to the theft of $9000 worth of Cow at Gate and Meadowfresh milk and other dairy products from a storage and distribution depot in Totara Street on three separate occasions in a seven-day period between March and early April.

The offending occurred after Gillard was fired from his job as a delivery driver for the Mount Maunganui company for stealing from a customer.

Gillard also pleaded guilty to taking $12.50 worth of rubbish sacks from a dairy where he delivered milk and had keys to the store.

Although Gillard has a long history of serious offending dating back to before 1992, this is his first serious offence in 20 years.

Judge Louis Bidois discounted Gillard’s sentence due to his early guilty plea and stated that despite a history of offending this crime would not attract a prison sentence.

Judge Bidois sentenced Gillard to 300 hours community service for the burglary charges with authority to convert hours into training.

Reparation of $9132 was set to be paid at $30 per week and an additional 120-hours community service for the theft charge. Judge Bidois also cautioned Gillard that another offence would be likely to attract a prison sentence.

Gillard’s lawyer described Gillard as a rehabilitated offender who has relapsed for the first time in two-decades.