Three years for Marceau killer on kidnapping charges

Print

Marceau killer jailed for other charges

3News NZ

Christie Marceau

Christie Marceau

The man who killed North Shore teenager Christie Marceau has been jailed for three years for kidnapping her and threatening to knife her two months before her death.

Akshay Anand Chand, 19, was found not guilty yesterday on a charge of murdering Ms Marceau on November 7 last year by way of insanity.

But he admitted charges of kidnap, threatening to cause grievous bodily harm and assault with intent to rape her.

He will serve the sentence as a special patient in a secure mental health hospital, where he was detained indefinitely yesterday after the insanity finding on the murder charge.

The charges were laid after Chand lured Ms Marceau to his home with the intent to rape her, threatened her with a knife and forced her to strip to her underwear.

Chand talked to her for about 35 minutes about his problems before releasing her.

He admitted the charges in September after psychologists found that at the time of the kidnap, he could not definitely meet the legal insanity threshold at that time.

In Auckland High Court on Thursday, Justice Helen Winkelmann said the actions had a huge impact on Ms Marceau and her parents, who still fear for their safety despite having moved to Australia.

"You intended to terrify Christie and you did," she said.

She said a starting point of five years was appropriate but gave him a discount of two years for his lack of convictions, his mental illness and his guilty plea.

Chand's insanity plea for the murder charge was accepted because by the time he killed her, he was definitely mentally ill and didn't know what he was doing was morally wrong.

NZN

Post a Comment

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


(Won't be published)



Comments

27/10/2012 2:12:34 p.m.

dennis wrote:

How much discount did he get for pleading guilty in "September"? September 2011 or September 2012? If 2012 how could he deserve a "discount" for pleading guilty a YEAR LATE, getting let out of remand, killing the victim and destroying her family? How could anyone give him credit for that? This "credit" is a minus. It should have added time. How could anyone but an unaccountable judge make such a crazy statement? This is our Chief High Court Judge. I wonder if Chand's lawyer suffers insomnia?

20/10/2012 11:23:52 p.m.

dennis wrote:

"Chand was released despite undergoing a full psychiatric assessment. The report given to the judge considering Chand's bail noted suicidal, but not homicidal, tendencies" So, the "expert" science of psychiatry, all so important to those worldly-wise graduates. Sack the judge. Sack the "high-profile" lawyer supporting him. Sack the psychiatrist. And save a heap of money, and lives

18/10/2012 3:18:34 p.m.

Jessica wrote:

I feel physically sick. What a pathetic sentance. If I was a member of Christie's family I would be absolutely shattered. What can I say? My heart goes out to this poor girl's family.

18/10/2012 2:20:34 p.m.

Simon wrote:

Yet another example of a ridiculous sentence for taking away someones life. Crime will coninue to thrive in this country while there is no punishment.

18/10/2012 1:54:27 p.m.

Melissa wrote:

My heart goes out christie's family and friends, who lost a beautiful girl. Where's their justice ?! Hasn't the system already hurt them enough!

18/10/2012 1:33:44 p.m.

madness wrote:

He wasted a beautiful young life from having a mucked up mind, why should he have the priviledge to only get 3 years for that. Our Justice system is so hopeless, we might as well all go and fight our own battles cause we will all plead insane and go for a wee holiday then come back to normal. What a joke. I feel so sorry for her parents, what results do they have from this!!!!! Our laws SUCK!!!!

18/10/2012 12:27:09 p.m.

James wrote:

5 year starting point... reduced by 2 years for not having convictions, a mental illness and a guilty plea? So what, as long as you kill someone and acknowledge it that takes off 8 months? And why does mental illness matter? That will decide where you do your time, why should it affect the length of time. I don't see how lack of convictions matters either, is this also a lack of charges? Has he been granted diversion in the past? How about 5 years as a starting point, +5 for breaking bail conditions, +5 for killing a girl, +5 for killing a daughter, +5 for killing someone's future that wouldn't waste tax payers money getting fed in a mental institute. Sounds like better sentencing to me.