File picture
The 17-year-old youth who inflicted serious stab wounds to a French tourist — who requires further surgeries five months on — has been jailed for two years and one month.
Prestin Taiapa, now aged 18, appeared in Gisborne District Court yesterday for sentencing on charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, attempted aggravated robbery and dangerous driving causing injury, all committed on the night of June 22 this year.
Judge Warren Cathcart said it was 8.30pm when Christophe Luc Francois Bretille, about to enter gym in Gladstone Road, agreed to a request by Taiapa to drive him home.
The 32-year-old Frenchman drove to a Belfast Crescent address where he was offered and accepted cannabis.
Taiapa asked him to drive on to Midway Beach, and then “to the river mouth”.
He felt uncomfortable about going to the remote location and turned around.
Taiapa asked him to drive to Dalton Street, on to Herschell Road and back to Belfast Crescent where Taiapa told him to “get out of my car”.
The youth tried to stab the tourist who was able to drive away, but not before Taiapa was able to get back into the car and begin the stabbing and punching attack.
Taiapa grabbed the steering wheel of the vehicle, which was travelling at an estimated 70kmh.
The car crossed the centre line and crashed into a house in Ranfurly Street.
Taiapa ran back to Belfast Crescent and the Frenchman was taken to hospital.
He suffered lacerations and stab wounds to his hands, and near his elbow, a broken jaw, broken teeth and broken nose.
Judge Cathcart said Mr Bretille was not able to work and could not support himself.
He was awaiting more surgery.
His car, which had been bought and modified to serve as his home at a cost of $7500, was written off.
He had suffered total economic losses of $22,000.
Crown prosecutor James Bridgman and defence counsel Adam Simperingham agreed a starting point for sentencing was five to six years imprisonment.
Mr Bridgman said aggravating factors included the use of a weapon, serious injuries being inflicted and the breach of trust, although the two men did not have a relationship previous to the stabbing incident.
Mitigating factors for sentencing discounts included Taiapa's youth and guilty plea.
Mr Simperingham said he wanted to acknowledge the severity of the attack by his client.
Taiapa had indicated remorse and apologised several times.
Mr Bretille rejected those apologies and Mr Simperingham said he offered no criticism of the tourist for that.
Taiapa, who had a mild intellectual disability and had a difficult upbringing, realised he was in danger of going to jail.
The issue was whether there were sufficient discounts to get to an end sentence within the 24-month range enabling conversion to home detention to be considered.
Judge Cathcart issued Taiapa with a three strike warning (which requires a person convicted of a third serious violence offence to be sentenced to the maximum available sentence without parole, unless it would be manifestly unjust) and said it indicated how serious Taiapa's offending was for the lead offence of wounding with intent.
It was an offence with a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment.
Judge Cathcart set a starting point for sentencing of six years imprisonment, less 18 months for an early guilty plea.
He said he was concerned about sentencing discounts being automatic and creating an imbalance with the severity of the offending.
The judge granted additional discounts comprising 12 months for Taiapa's youth, while taking into account the gravity of offending, four months for having no previous convictions, two months for expressions of remorse, six months for personal circumstances such as mental health difficulties, struggles with reading, spelling and maths, and a deprived upbringing of poverty, neglect and exposure to alcohol, drugs and gangs, four months for suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, and one month for an incident involving a family member that affected Taiapa's bail.
Judge Cathcart imposed a sentence of two years and one month imprisonment, which included concurrent sentences for the two lesser offences.
Taiapa was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
No reparation was ordered as it was considered Taiapa did not have the means to pay.