During the sentencing of Richard Mathew Coburn, convicted of manslaughter for the death of his partner Paige Tutemahurangi, chaos erupted in the courtroom as supporters of the victim attacked Coburn.
Justice Mary Peters sentenced Coburn to five years and ten months in prison in the Hamilton High Court, with a three-year minimum non-parole period, which appeared to cause disquiet among the victim’s family, according to a report by legacy media.
In a sudden turn of events two young men jumped over a glass partition and assaulted Coburn in the dock, prompting corrections officers to rush him to safety. The incident led to further physical altercations involving security staff, resulting in a shoulder injury to one officer.
The violence broke out after Justice Peters had praised the family for their ‘dignified behaviour’ throughout the trial. However, the attack disrupted the proceedings, and police were seen interviewing several young men involved in the incident. Justice Peters later apologised to Coburn for the lack of police presence in the courtroom, acknowledging that the situation should have been better managed. Coburn had been found guilty of manslaughter after a jury trial, during which his defense argued that he did not intend to cause his partner’s death, despite delivering multiple punches to her head in a brutal attack.
Paige Tutemahurangi’s father, Rangi O’Leary, expressed the profound effect her death had on their family and community. Coburn’s defense lawyer emphasised his client’s remorse and lack of premeditation. Justice Peters condemned Coburn’s actions and urged him to address his issues with alcohol and anger management, describing the tragic waste of Tutemahurangi’s young life and the lasting consequences for their son and family.
Wait and watch when the anger about the skewed NZ ‘justice’ system will take its natural course.
Did Sparta have procedures like this? Wonder what they did with failing adjucators?
NZ is full of these primitive child-like creatures with no impulse control. No hope there.
Beaten to death and less than 6 years? No wonder the family thought justice was better done by them. In the Old Testament a family member judicially killed the killer.
Three years for killing someone?
And the judge is somehow shocked that a family member thought, “okay, I guess I could kill him if THAT’S the kind of consequence I’m looking at…”
What a complete and utter joke.
If they’re not willing to give justice, then they should get out of the way and let us TAKE justice.
Sick and tired of this garbage.
Plus, a former MP gets away with a fine…go read ‘The Centrist’ article on what OTHERS got for the same offence.