The grieving whānau of a man killed by a coward punch have spoken of how the “brutal and violent attack” has left their world shattered.
And now they are calling for such tragedies to end with their son, Daniel Nganeko.
This morning, hundreds gathered at the Tukapa Rugby and Sports Club in New Plymouth, where Daniel had been on the evening he was fatally struck on July 26.
The group peacefully marched to the New Plymouth courthouse, advocating against coward punches and for a change in the law to end such violence.
Shortly after they arrived at the courthouse, Daniel’s attacker, Daytona Thompson, 22, appeared for a scheduled hearing at which he entered a guilty plea to a charge of manslaughter.
He will be sentenced on October 7.
Daniel was punched by Thompson after a prizegiving evening at the clubrooms they had both attended.
The event finished about 11.20pm and Daniel was standing with friends on the footpath on Gladstone Rd, across from the rugby grounds.
Thompson approached Daniel, whom he did not know, and the pair began talking.
Thompson swivelled and threw a punch with his “clenched right fist”, which struck Daniel on his chin.
He fell backwards and his head hit the edge of the footpath.
Daniel died after he was flown to Auckland City Hospital, where scans revealed he had suffered a fractured skull and extensive brain injuries with damage to his frontal and rear lobe.
The day after the attack, Thompson handed himself in to the New Plymouth Police Station.
He was unable to offer any explanation as to why he hit Daniel and said he had issues recalling the events of the night because of how much alcohol he had consumed.
Speaking publicly for the first time, Daniel’s father, Te Uraura Nganeko, said his son was the victim of a “brutal, unprovoked, violent attack - a coward punch that ended his life and shattered ours”.
He said in a statement that Daniel was raised with clear values of respect, humility, integrity and manners.
“He was a young man who stood on strong foundations. A product of his upbringing, but also someone who made those values his own.
“He lived them, carried them, and showed them to the world through his relationships, his choices, and his everyday way of being.”
Te Uraura said his son had a successful career in the creative industry, spanning design, photography, and videography in Melbourne, but came home to New Plymouth to be with whānau, to reset and change careers.
Just a few weeks ago, Daniel decided to become a secondary school teacher so he could work with kids in low-decile communities.
“[He] had submitted his application to do the year bridging course. He was on his way until Daytona Thompson targeted him that Saturday night.”
Now, Daniel’s whānau and friends are calling for change.
They have started the Coward Punch Movement in an effort to fast-track a new law introducing tougher penalties for such crimes and to raise public awareness about the dangers of such violence.
The campaign is also championing against violent offenders having the opportunities to avoid conviction, and to ensure the restorative justice process delivers accountability and “not just apologies”.
In June, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith announced the new law, which includes a culpable homicide offence for such attacks which resulted in death, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
It would be introduced before the end of the year, with the aim of being passed into law before the next election.
Te Uraura said in his statement that his son’s death showed there was currently a dangerous gap in New Zealand’s justice system.
“We call for urgent action to protect New Zealanders from violent, unprovoked assaults and coward punches. Current laws and policies are failing to hold violent offenders accountable, allowing them to reoffend without consequences,” Te Uraura said.
“While the proposed law change is welcome, delays risk more tragedies. It must end with Daniel.”
Te Uraura said the movement was just the beginning.
“Daytona Thompson will be sentenced in the next couple of months, but our fight won’t end there. We will keep the pressure on politicians to change the law now. There will be a petition, and we are already working with other victims and their supporters to take this campaign to the next stage.
“We want justice for Daniel, but this is also about fixing a system that failed him. It’s not about one case; it’s about preventing the next one. It could be your son next, unless the law is changed and unless we, his community, act.”
Last weekend, a service was held to celebrate Daniel’s life.
At the service, Te Uraura touched on their anger and their struggle to make sense of how someone so loved and so full of promise could be taken in such a violent way.
“But as much as this tragedy burns inside us, we will not let it define him [Daniel],” Te Uraura, who allowed media to report his speech, said.
He said Daniel and his twin, Cameron, came into the world together and remained connected throughout their lives.
“Their bond was unshakeable.
“That unspoken loyalty, that fierce twin connection, was one of the most powerful constants in Daniel’s life.”
Te Uraura spoke of how the boys had reshaped his and their mother, Christine’s, lives, rewriting everything they thought they knew about love.
They flourished in New Plymouth, where they connected with their whenua and whakapapa.
Daniel was cheeky, clever and curious with a sharp wit and a strong sense of justice.
Te Uraura said Daniel spoke with kindness and listened with respect. He was academic and creative, and was an avid surf lifesaver and supporter of the Tukapa Rugby Club.
A treasured tradition saw the whānau camp at a Taranaki beach every Christmas from 1990 to 2004.
“They went from toddlers to teenagers under the Urenui summer sun, surrounded by friends and freedom. Looking back, those were the happiest times of our lives,” Te Uraura said.
In closing his speech, Te Uraura said the true test in parenting children was not just in how we love our children, but in raising children who were loved by others.
“Daniel was a shining light. He moved through life with a quiet grace. His smile, his life, his beautiful self. He made people’s hearts light up just to hear his name. He was a loyal friend, loving son, a twin and only one.”
Tara Shaskey joined NZME in 2022 and is currently an assistant editor and reporter for the Open Justice team. She has been a reporter since 2014 and previously worked at Stuff covering crime and justice, arts and entertainment, and Māori issues.