Marlene Taylor, dubbed the “Justice of the P” was stripped of her powers and sent to prison for three years. She was also released on parole in 2019.
The Parole Board noted her offending occurred when she was at a vulnerable stage in her life.
Her husband and mother had just passed away and her son put pressure on her to use the money left from his father’s death for what he said was a car-related business.
However, when she became aware of what the money was actually being used for she didn’t cease her involvement or tell police what was happening.
“She now knows that her son manipulated her,” the board said at the time.
Brian Taylor was sentenced to more than five years imprisonment in 2017 for his role as the mastermind of the operation.
A fourth offender, Kimberley Meihana, received 12 months of home detention for her role which involved two instances of supplying methamphetamine.
Today, Zion Pene was back before the District Court for a range of family violence charges and possession of a meth pipe and two machetes.
The charges related to two instances of assault last year on his then-partner where he slapped her and verbally abused her in front of her children before saying she was lucky he didn’t “end her”.
He then kicked her in the face, rendering her unconscious.
During another incident with the same woman when she tried to leave after the pair had an argument, Pene shoulder-charged her into a wall and then told her he was going to “finish her off”.
Police tracked him down and found him with two machetes, a meth pipe and a bong in his car.
His lawyer, Jacinda Younger, told the Palmerston North District Court today that he had found faith while in prison again and was attending Bible classes.
She said he wanted to do drug and alcohol counselling while inside but those services weren’t available to prisoners on remand.
“He has been able to read some self-help books and been able to reflect on not wanting this cycle of violence to continue with his children,” Younger said.
“They are the catalyst for change in his case.”
In sentencing Pene to two years and two months in prison, Judge Bruce Northwood said he hoped Pene would finally be able to change his ways.
“Your lawyer has told me how things have changed, [you’ve] found faith, you’re wanting to look at yourself and become not that man. So I hope everything Ms Younger has told me is true,” Judge Northwood said.
The judge factored into his sentencing the vulnerability of the victim, the power imbalance, and that there were young children present.
