Currie's killer gets four years

How long should a sentence be to bring justice for someone who has lost their life?

That's the question family and friends of Taupo man Chris Currie are asking themselves after an Auckland teenager was sentenced to four years in prison for the 20-year-old's death.

Mr Currie died in August last year when Ngatai Rewiti threw an 8kg concrete slab off an Auckland motorway bridge on to the Taupo man's car, killing him instantly.

Yesterday in the High Court at Auckland, 15-year-old Rewiti was sentenced after a jury had previously found him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

Mr Currie's parents were disappointed with the sentence.

His father Wayne Currie called it "pathetic".

His mother Geraldine Vincent said after sitting back and watching over the past few months she felt four years was not enough.

"I was surprised.

"I do feel it was a bit light," she told the Daily Post.

The Taupo woman said she had always felt it was up to the courts to decide but after the sentence, she was unsure what to think about the New Zealand justice system.

"I'd rather not say," she said when asked if she felt let down by the system.

She said the past year had been tough for the family, especially being thrown into the public spotlight.

"It's not easy to grieve but we take each day as it comes."

She had not been able to make a victim impact statement for the court as it was too painful.

Later, Ms Vincent told Campbell Live that Rewiti's environment was much to blame for what he did.

"Being angry isn't going to bring Christopher back," she said.

"We need to find solutions so that our young aren't killing each other."

Ms Vincent believed intervening with troubled youngsters at a younger age, along with more police would help.

"I think we need intervention at home to teach these young kids values and morals that maybe they aren't seeing from their role models."

In sentencing Rewiti yesterday Justice Helen Winkleman described his actions as "breathtaking stupidity".

"Your mindless act took the life of a young man."

However, she said the act was spur of the moment and she did not accept the Crown submission that it was premeditated.

Mr Currie's former Taupo rugby coach Bill Clarke said yesterday it had been an emotional time but his thoughts were of the family rather than the length of the sentence.

"What is suitable justice for a man who's lost his life?"

Mr Clarke said he had received text messages from players all day about the sentencing but he wasn't sure how he felt about it himself.

He said in some ways no amount of time would be enough but on the other, Rewiti might learn and have a future because of the shorter sentence.

"Some of our players will be thinking that he should have got more," he said.

Mr Currie's former rugby team dedicated their season to their mate and had played all season with his nickname "fifty-fifty" on their shirts.

Mr Clarke said the sentencing would bring some closure for friends and family.

King Country under-20 coach Justin Marsh, who Mr Currie played for, said no sentence would be big enough. "It's never going to bring Chris back."

Mr Marsh said most people were satisfied someone had been held accountable. Additional reporting NZPA