Dylan Nuku's appeal over taxi driver shooting sentence dismissed

Taxi driver Alem Tesema who was shot in his taxi in Miramar, Wellington in November 2017 / Melissa Nightingale

A man who shot a Wellington taxi driver has had his appeal against his prison sentence dismissed.

Dylan Nuku pleaded guilty to charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and unlawfully possessing a firearm.

Nuku shot taxi driver Alem Tessema in the shoulder in the Wellington suburb of Miramar in November 2017 after he and associate Paris Ohuka were unable to pay.

Nuku had been drinking and gambling in the central city beforehand. There was evidence of cannabis and methamphetamine in his system.

Nuku was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment last October.

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal against his sentence. The main ground for the appeal was that Nuku's mental impairment should have been considered in sentencing.

His lawyer also argued a discount should've been granted for remorse.

The court said Nuku had a history of delusional thoughts, including him believing he was a part of government surveillance. It said mental illness did play a role in his offending, but the starting point took that into account.

The court also said there was sufficient discount given for his guilty plea and remorse.