• Full Story

Gang members jailed for teen's murder

Print

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 2:16p.m.

Lewis died in a clash between the Mongrel Mob and Tribesmen gangs

Lewis died in a clash between the Mongrel Mob and Tribesmen gangs

Bay of Plenty Mongrel Mob members and associates barked like dogs and flashed gang signals as they were taken from the court after being sentenced over the murder of teenager Kaine Lewis.

Mr Kaine, 17, died in October 2009 during a violent clash between Tribesmen and Mongrel Mob members in the town of Murupara, when two blows to his head crushed his skull. He died on the way to hospital.

On Monday, in the High Court at Rotorua, Norton Taoho, 19, was jailed for life for Mr Kaine's murder.

He is to serve 10 years before he becomes eligible to be considered for parole.

Taoho pleaded guilty to the murder charge before the start of a trial in July, although Justice John Priestly noted it would never been known whether it was in fact Taoho who inflicted the fatal blows.

Two others who attacked Mr Kaine at the same time were jailed for his manslaughter. A jury found them guilty of that charge last month.

Hemi Winitana, 19, was sentenced to eight years and four months, with a minimum non-parole period of four years. He is to serve a two-and-a-half year concurrent sentence for participating in an organised criminal group.

Joshua Paul Leslie-Whitu, 18, who was also found guilty of manslaughter, was jailed for eight years and ordered to serve a minimum term of four years before he's eligible to be considered for parole.

Neville Duff, 33, was sentenced to two years and 10 months' jail for participating in an organised criminal group.

On the same charge Dave Te Wharerangi Rewi, 25, was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

NZN

Become a fan of 3 News on Facebook and on Twitter.

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

12 Dec 2011 04:22p.m.

cherie wrote:

"Barked like dogs" Then throw them in the pound. If they dont behave put them down

12 Dec 2011 02:49p.m.

Damrak wrote:

Isn't about time we treated these scum as terrorists in NZ? Or is it the fact that they're maori that we go the softly softly, don't touch anything maori approach?
This cultural thing really is getting on top and hides so many sins. It seems nowadays that maori criminals have so much more rights and priviledges than anyone else.