A 30 year old man charged with several counts of robbery with violence, damaging property and unlawful use of motor vehicle was today sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the Suva High Court.

Judge Justice Daniel Goundar while sentencing Timoci Delana said there were some aggravating factors in the case and that the victims were attacked in the security of their homes when they were asleep and were threatened with knives and pinch bars.

During the case the court heard that on 14th August 2008, Delana and four other men armed with cane knives, iron rod and a pinch bar and broke into a house at Fulaga Street and struck the owner of the house with a pinch bar when the owner tried to raise the alarm.

They forcefully took more than $3,000 cash and jewelleries worth $3,000. They later fled away in the victim’s vehicle.

The court also heard that on 4th September last year they entered a house at Laucala Beach, and forcefully entered the house and threatened the family to keep quiet.

They stole jewellery worth more than $1,000. On 29th September they entered a house in Maqbool road in Nadera and stole items worth $1,900 and later fled in the victim’s vehicle which was later found in a damaged state in Narere.

On 24 September they entered the house of a Tasneem Ali, threatened the occupants of the house and walked away with cash and items worth $61,480.

In mitigation Delana told the court that he supports his wife and parents is a farmer and earns about $150 weekly. Delana had 50 previous convictions.