A man shot by police after a standoff at Flaxmere Primary School in December has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment. Photo / Warren Buckland
A man shot by police after a standoff at Flaxmere Primary School in December has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment. Photo / Warren Buckland
A man who was shot after a police stand-off at Flaxmere Primary School has been jailed for two and a half years.
Derek Timu, 31, appeared in the Hastings District Court on Tuesday. He pleaded guilty to a raft of charges in January, including unlawfully carrying an imitation firearmnine burglaries.
Appearing before Judge Bridget Mackintosh, Timu shed a tear as details of his "year of criminal offending" were raised.
He arrived at Flaxmere Primary School, telling the deputy principal he was there to pick up a relative.
After being refused, he lifted his top revealing a "BB pistol" in his waistband. The school went into lockdown and police were called.
Defence counsel Clint Rickards said Timu wanted "to create enough mayhem that police would be called" in a "suicide by police" attempt.
Parents and caregivers wait outside the front entrance to Flaxmere Primary School in lockdown after a gunman was seen in the school grounds in December. Photo / Warren Buckland
Crown Prosecutor James Bridgman argued although the school incident "may have been a cry for help, it is one of 16 charges".
Rickards said Timu, who has since written letters of apology to the school, has shown "heartfelt remorse".
Mackintosh said Timu's offending "cut its way through the Hawke's Bay community".
Timu was given 15 per cent discount for remorse and personal circumstances and a further 25 per cent discount for his guilty pleas.
A victim impact statement readto the court said students and teachers suffered "emotional harm" and some staff remained "fearful" of going to the school after that "traumatic day". Others were getting counselling as a result.
One student said "it's not fair", and a teacher said her "workplace was my happy place".
It also touched on the "guilt" the woman Timu was targeting felt when students and staff were locked down and when Timu was shot.
"I believe I could have made you stop. I now realise this is no longer my guilt," the statement said.
"We have staff who are still fearful to come into work or to work by themselves. One staff member couldn't return to her office and still struggles to be on her own today."
WHERE TO GET HELP: If you are worried about your own or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111. Or if you need to talk to someone else: 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) (24/7) https://www.lifeline.org.nz/services/suicide-crisis-helpline YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (24/7) KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7) WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm) DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 or TEXT 4202
