Woman gets home detention for helping wanted criminal

File photo / NZ Herald

A Murupara woman has been sentenced to home detention and community work for her part in helping her former partner avoid arrest.

Shashana Lee Te Tomo was sentenced to four months' home detention and 100 hours' community work by Justice John Priestly in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday.

Te Tomo had previously pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to participating in an organised criminal group.

During sentencing, Justice Priestly said Te Tomo was initially facing a more serious charge.

She was initially charged with accessory after the fact to murder. Her former partner, Neville Duff was wanted in connection to the murder of Kaingaroa teenager Kaine Lewis.

Duff was found not guilty of murder but guilty of participating in an organised criminal group. When he was found not guilty of murder, Te Tomo's charge was downgraded.

Te Tomo pleaded guilty on November 17.

Justice Priestly said Te Tomo assisted Duff in evading police during October 2009.

"Mr Duff was on the run. You knew he was on the run," he said.

"He was convicted of one of the counts he faced."

Judge Priestly said text messages on Duff's phone showed Te Tomo had helped with clothes, money and accommodation, while he was wanted by police.

"As far as you knew, Duff was wanted by police in connection to a homicide," he said.