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A Northland killer's terrible childhood was no excuse for her receiving a seven-year prison sentence, says an advocate of stiffer sentencing.
Sensible Sentencing Trust national spokesman Garth McVicar said he was appalled at a seven-year jail sentence imposed on Julie Johnson, 20, in the High Court at Whangarei this week. The
trust is considering setting up a Northland branch.
Johnson, 20, was sentenced for killing Renee Brown, 16, after driving her car into a group of people at a Kamo party on February 16, 2003.
Justice Nicholson imposed seven years' imprisonment but Johnson could be eligible for parole in 12 months.
Johnson would normally be eligible for parole after 28 months -- one third of the seven-year sentence -- but has already spent about 16 months in jail leading up to her trial and this week's sentencing.
Justice Nicholson said his starting point for sentencing Johnson was 10 years.
However, he imposed a seven-year term after taking into account Johnson's mitigating pleas. Those included that she had a tumultuous childhood and had been a pants wetter who was mercilessly teased.
"It's no excuse," Mr McVicar said. "I'm sick of excuses, whether it's a troubled childhood or drugs and alcohol."
The trust had been buoyed by the life sentences -- with minimum parole periods of 17 years -- imposed in Whangarei last week on two teenagers found guilty of murdering Whangarei man Richard Harcombe.
Justice Nicholson had not sufficiently acknowledged Renee Brown's family, Mr McVicar said.
In reaching the manslaughter verdict at Johnson's trial last month, the jury rejected a charge of murder and also found Johnson not guilty of four charges of intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), charges of causing GBH, and 11 charges of injuring with intent to cause GBH.
Mr McVicar said three of the families of the teenagers named as alleged victims in the GBH-related charges had contacted Sensible Sentencing, and the trust had had many calls from Whangarei and around New Zealand about Johnson's sentence.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)
