The man was sentenced at the Manukau District Court on 33 charges of sexual assault.\u00a0<\/span>Photo:\u00a0NZME<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n It contained her laptop, and work and personal phones.<\/p>\n Atutolu stole the bag and left in a car with Hoeta.<\/p>\n An hour later, Hoeta was found by police in Karaka, South Auckland, and arrested. She had the victim’s work phone in her pocket.<\/p>\n In court, Judge Tania Sharkey read out the victim impact statement from the woman at the Psychology Group, whose bag was stolen.<\/p>\n “I think it’s important that you hear about the impact on [the victims],” the judge said.<\/p>\n The victim’s stolen bag was a gift from her mother, who had died, and the victim had been posting “publicly” trying to find it, the court heard.<\/p>\n She was the caregiver of a high needs, neurodivergent child, and without the items in her bag, she was unable to provide the care and support that were part of their “essential” routine, the statement said.<\/p>\n This included being able to log into apps and contact family.<\/p>\n “She hopes you can see the impact your actions have on people’s lives,” the judge reported.<\/p>\n The victim said it sounded like Hoeta needed help, and she wanted her to receive it.<\/p>\n Hoeta’s lawyer, Ish Jayanandan, said there was a connection between her client’s “rather deprived” upbringing and her criminal behaviour.<\/p>\n A psychological report before the court contained a “harrowing outline” of what Hoeta had endured in her childhood, Jayanandan said.<\/p>\n This trauma had carried through into Hoeta’s adult life, she said.<\/p>\n Because of Hoeta’s background, the prosecution and defence were in agreement that a sentence of home detention was appropriate.<\/p>\n Judge Sharkey said before that background information came to light, imprisonment was “really on the cards” for Hoeta.<\/p>\n “I wouldn’t be criticised for that,” the judge warned.<\/p>\n The judge also said she understood Hoeta’s co-offender was a relative and a “bad influence”.<\/p>\n For three charges of burglary and one of receiving stolen property, Hoeta was sentenced to nine months’ home detention and ordered to pay $200 to the victims.<\/p>\nThe ‘impact’ of the burglaries<\/h3>\n