Trust Asks Crown Law Just What is a Childs Life Worth

21 July 2016

“Head injuries equivalent to a car accident is not manslaughter its murder and it’s about time Crown law prosecutors woke up to that fact and stopped worrying about how quickly they can get a prosecution and start concentrating on getting justice for innocent murder victims” Guthrie

Michael Kereopa was sentenced in the High Court at Wellington on Thursday to eight years jail for the manslaughter of the six-month-old Gracie-May McSorley at her Raumati Beach home in July 2015. Kereopa had been left in charge of Gracie-May while her mother Charlotte went to pick up her older child from kohanga reo. He had been told to ignore the grizzly baby and to leave her in her cot to sleep, however he picked her up and after becoming angry with her continued crying Kereopa struck her on the back of her head causing a fatal brain injury.

“Kereopa continually lied to police and none of his version of events are consistent with Gracie’ injuries but still the Crown are too weak to seek the truth and go after justice. Quite clearly all they are interested in is being paid and that’s called plea bargaining and Our Attorney General Chris Finlayson initiated it” Guthrie

A neurosurgeon who operated on Gracie-May likened her brain injury to one suffered in a high-speed car crash or blunt force trauma to the head. The judge said it was brutal and profound stupidity that had terrible consequences.

Kereopa put Gracie-May back in her cot and did not call for medical attention when she vomited or tell her mother that she had been limp with her eyes rolling in her head.

“Knowingly causing such horrific injuries to a defenceless child and doing nothing about it is no accident it is premediated in every sense of the word and premeditating the end of a human life is murder” Guthrie

Scott is also questioning how Justice Ellis can justify a sentence of 8 years’ imprisonment for such high scale offending. Kereopa will be eligible for parole in 2 and a half years’ time so clearly this child’s life is nearly worthless to our so called Justice system and yet nothing will change.

“Once it was only the defence who could try and persuade the Crown to reduce charges – now either side can initiate such discussions. Crown Prosecutors were once very reluctant to do deals, now they are initiating them. This is not justice New Zealand style in fact, it is a dirty back room deal of the worst degree.” McVicar.

Sensible Sentencing Trust says Chris Finlayson was the principal driver of legislation that ultimately resulted in Crown Solicitors initiating shady plea bargain deals. It is a very sad day for New Zealand when a child’s brutal murder is plea bargained down to manslaughter driven by an ideological fixation with reducing costs ahead of any other consideration.

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