More jail time for killer who made orders from behind bars

Joseph Rewiri during sentencing in the High Court at Hamilton in October 2013. Photo/file

"Let them know if they want this to be a drama we are willing to go there, jail is nothing to us."

Those were the words convicted murderer Joseph Rewiri wrote in a letter directing accomplices to commit an aggravated burglary while he was serving a life sentence.

Rewiri, 49, appeared by audio visual link at Tauranga District Court this week after pleading guilty to procuring an aggravated robbery at an Omanawa address, armed with a 12 gauge shotgun.

Judge Thomas Ingram sentenced Rewiri to two years and three months in prison, with a minimum of one year behind bars.

This sentence would be served cumulatively to the sentence he is already serving for murder.

In 2008 Rewiri was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 14 years for the 2006 murder of Peter Franklyn in Rotorua. In 2013, he was sentenced to nine years behind bars for the manslaughter of Tauranga businessman Gary Kimura, who died in 2011. That was to be served concurrently with his murder sentence.

This week, the court heard Rewiri had used a letter he had written in prison to direct his accomplices which read "Let them know if they want this to be a drama we are willing to go there, jail is nothing to us and our different brothers from different areas".

Judge Ingram said Rewiri's written words indicated that going to jail meant nothing to him and his accomplices.

Rewiri had the sound turned off on the AVL after he continued to interrupt Judge Ingram saying the information had been taken out of context and that it was "bulls**t".

"I am not prepared to have you interrupt me Mr Rewiri," Judge Ingram said.

Judge Ingram said thankfully police had apprehended the accomplices and found a shotgun and cartridges at the address.

"I have no doubt that your instructions were taken seriously," Judge Ingram said.

"My position is I have a man serving a life sentence and another lengthy sentence for manslaughter and somebody died as a result of your instruction being carried out by others. On the other hand nobody has died [this time]."

Judge Ingram said the circumstances in this case were "highly unusual" given Rewiri had committed an offence while serving life imprisonment.

"I can find no other case that is even remotely similar in New Zealand or anywhere else."

The judge said this time Rewiri's instructions included no direct instruction for a weapon to be used. He said a minimum of 12 months should be imposed cumulative on the existing sentence and ordered an extra two years and three months behind bars.

"I cannot do much about your attitude but I am going to ensure you will serve some additional time given you have already done this in the past," Judge Ingram said.

"I want you to get the message you are going to get extra time every time [you appear in court]."