Home detention for bus stop bashing attack

A young woman who admitted being involved in the bashing of a 51-year-old woman has avoided jail. File photo / NZ Herald

A young women involved in bashing a 51-year-old woman in a revenge attack at a bus stop has narrowly avoided jail.

Narissa Mikaere, 22, who earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of injuring with intent to injure, was sentenced to nine months' home detention when she appeared in Tauranga District Court yesterday.

A warrant for arrest has been issued for her half-sister, 20-year-old Lavinia Blake, aka Pinga, who was also due to be sentenced for her part in the vicious attack. Blake failed to turn up to court.

Pinga's lawyer, Viv Winiata, told Judge Robert Wolff she had contacted him to say she was in Wellington with relatives preparing for the funeral of her step-sister, Darlene Hughes-Singh, who was killed in a car crash in Judea on Sunday night.

Pinga's mother, Ngapera Annabelle Pinga, 38, from Te Puke, was the instigator of the plan to get her revenge on the victim after she discovered her partner had been sending text messages to her.

She was in July sentenced to two years and three months' jail.

Pinga snr sent a text message to the victim from her partner's phone pretending to be him and arranged a meeting time at the Waitaha Rd, Welcome Bay, bus stop.

The victim turned up as planned at 1.45am on February 22 and was viciously punched in the face, before being kicked and stomped on as she lay on the ground. She also had her cellphone stolen.

The victim suffered bruising and swelling to her face and head and two black eyes. She also had internal bleeding in her left eye, causing some loss of vision.

Mikaere's lawyer Glenn Dixon said she knew of the plan when she agreed to drive the group to the bus stop. She pleaded guilty on the basis that she was a party to attack, although she denied taking part in the assault.

However, the victim and an independent witness said she did participate.

Judge Wolff told Mikaere that while her exact role was not totally clear, what was clear was that she was fully aware of the plan, was involved in what had occurred and "was prepared to put her family loyalties ahead of common sense".

The judge said a jail sentence could well have been justified but he hoped Mikaere would take advantage of the rehabilitative options made available to her.

Mikaere was ordered to pay $750 emotional harm reparation to the victim at $30 a week.

Judge Wolff said if Pinga failed to attend court for sentencing by 9.30am tomorrow, the warrant would then be enforced.

The fourth member of the group, a 16-year-old youth with name suppression, has had the matter transferred to the Palmerston North Youth Court.