He earlier admitted charges of burglary, attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle and two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The teens are being dealt with separately in the Youth Court and cannot be identified.
According to a summary of facts, the offending began on January 27 when the group attempted to steal a vehicle parked on Beach St, Fitzroy.
They broke into the car but were unable to start it and left empty-handed.
The group then stole two vehicles from Strandon, which were later used in the burglary at Brownson Jewellers on Devon St.
About 2.30am on January 28, they drove the stolen vehicles in convoy around New Plymouth’s central business district, casing stores before settling on the jeweller.
Just before 3.40am, they pulled up outside Brownson Jewellers in one of the vehicles.
While the teens carried a metal pole, tyre iron and wrench, Royal kicked open the shop door and the group rushed inside.
Despite the store alarm sounding, the four smashed glass display cabinets and filled bags with jewellery and watches.
One of the offenders filmed the burglary as it unfolded.
More than 100 items, valued at about $80,380, were taken.
The group fled in the stolen car before later abandoning it and switching to the second stolen vehicle.
They drove around New Plymouth before dumping that vehicle as well and returning to a residential address, where they assessed the stolen goods.
About 10.30am the same day, New Plymouth police arrived at the address. All four offenders fled but were located and arrested nearby.
Police recovered most of the jewellery stolen from Brownson Jewellers during a search of the property.
A group of young offenders broke into Brownson Jewellers in January 2026. Photo / Google Maps
In court, defence lawyer Julian Hannam accepted Royal had been “cruising around in stolen vehicles, looking for trouble”.
“It does appear that the burglary was targeted at the jewellery shop, but more, an opportunity was taken.
“But clearly they were out for trouble, and that’s fully acknowledged, so a level of premeditation exists.”
Hannam accepted other aggravating factors included the number of offenders involved, the damage caused to the shop and the significant quantity of goods taken.
His submissions were directed at a sentence of home detention, highlighting Royal’s adverse childhood experiences, other challenges he faced, and the 84 days he spent in custody and 40 days on electronically monitored (EM) bail.
Police prosecutor Zane Webby accepted an end sentence of home detention could be reached, and said the jeweller had made an insurance claim, with an excess of $1000.
Webby apportioned the excess equally between the four offenders, leaving Royal liable for $250 in reparation.
Judge Thomas Ingram accepted Royal has faced several “difficulties” in his life, “many not of [his] own making”.
“But you know right from wrong and you know you weren’t meant to be doing this stuff.”
However, the judge said, to Royal’s credit, he had admitted his involvement and expressed shame and remorse.
Judge Ingram said that with Royal being the oldest of the group, it may seem he was the instigator, but that was not the case.
He took a starting point of three years’ imprisonment for the totality of the offending, then applied credit for Royal’s guilty plea, background matters and time spent in custody and on EM bail.
The judge then converted the end sentence of two years’ imprisonment to 12 months’ home detention.
“I do not consider that a sentence of any less than 12 months’ home detention could ever be appropriate for what’s happened here,” he said.
“This is a serious set of circumstances and in my view the maximum sentence of home detention is appropriate.
“You’re getting home detention as opposed to imprisonment because of the difficulties that you’ve had in your life that other people don’t have.”
Judge Ingram concluded the hearing with a final warning and a word of encouragement for Royal.
He implored him to take the help offered by probation and make a genuine effort to turn his life around.
“Carry on with this kind of stuff, you’re looking at a lifetime in prison, staring at the old guys in the yard and wishing that you hadn’t got yourself where you end up.”
Tara Shaskey is an assistant editor and reporter for the Open Justice team. She joined NZME in 2022 and has worked as a journalist since 2014.