Killer escaped indefinite jail

By SCOTT INGLIS

A High Court judge rejected prosecution pleas eight years ago to jail indefinitely the man who went on to murder Aucklander Kylie Jones.

Justice Paul Neazor refused to impose preventive detention on Taffy Herbert Hotene in April 1992 for three attacks on Wanganui women, and instead sentenced him to 12 years in prison.

The law required that Hotene, who came to prefer life in jail, had to be released in April this year after serving two-thirds of his sentence.

Two months later, on June 6, he abducted and killed 23-year-old Kylie Jones in a lonely reserve near her Glen Innes home, and yesterday he pleaded guilty to her murder.

The Wanganui attacks took place between February 13 and 18, 1992, just three weeks after Hotene had been released from a four-year sentence for attempted rape.

He bashed and raped a woman in a video shop then went on to attack two other women in shops.

At the sentencing in the High Court at Wellington, Justice Neazor was asked to lock up Hotene indefinitely.

The prosecutor, Bridget Mackintosh, said he had used extreme violence on his victims and deserved preventive detention - an indefinite jail term with a minimum parole period of 10 years.

However, the judge said that Hotene, as a 21-year-old, was too young for preventive detention and it was not plainly apparent that he would offend again in a sexual way.

"It would be a dreadful prospect to impose such a sentence on a man who has really had no life outside institutions," he said.

But the detective who arrested Hotene for the Wanganui attacks, Sergeant Craig Hawkins, now of Taumarunui, says it was clear he would offend violently again.

"It was obvious from things he said that he would reoffend. He certainly had a dislike for women, and in particular ones who wore short dresses. He said to me: 'Hey, if my missus wore a short dress she would get everything she deserved'."

Sergeant Hawkins said Hotene had been "cool, calm and collected" when attacking the woman in the video shop.

"He locked the video shop front door - this is 4 pm - and while he was in the process of beating the living daylights out of her, someone knocked on the door. He stuck his head up - wearing his mohawk - and said: 'Sorry, we're closed, come back in five minutes'."

Hotene had exhibited similar coolness after an attack on a woman in a Wanganui fruit shop.

"He picked up a knife and stabbed her, but it bent. So he picked up another knife and that bent again and she escaped.

"He was always thinking ahead though. He ran away and sprinkled pepper where he changed his clothes to put any dogs off the scent. Then he just jogged off down the road as happy as larry."

Both Ms Mackintosh and Sergeant Hawkins said that although they had sought preventive detention, 12 years was still a strong sentence for Hotene. The maximum sentence for rape at the time was 14 years.

Hotene, who has spent nearly all his adult life in jail for violence and sex crimes, yesterday also pleaded guilty to kidnapping Kylie Jones, robbing her and causing her grievous bodily harm.

He was remanded in custody to the High Court for sentencing next month. The Crown has yet to decide whether it will seek preventive detention in this case.

Hotene made his surprise plea shortly before 3 pm. His case was originally heading for trial and was set down yesterday for a pre-depositions conference.

In the attack on Kylie Jones, he stole some of her belongings, including three ATM cards. He then went to a party in Glen Innes where he handed over a knife to his brother, George.

In the days after the murder, he tried to use one of the cards and police tracked him after witnesses provided a detailed description.

Kylie Jones' family were in court for Hotene's three-minute appearance. They asked the inquiry head, Detective Senior Sergeant Stu Allsopp-Smith, to say that they acknowledged the guilty plea, but that nothing would change what Hotene had done to Kylie, her partner and the family. Detective Senior Sergeant Allsopp-Smith said he had no idea what persuaded Hotene to enter a guilty plea.

Hotene has not been charged with rape and police refused to comment on whether he would face any more charges.