Posted on 06/01/2007 2:47:44 PM PDT by DieHard the Hunter
A convicted murderer who served a life sentence is back behind bars after being convicted of aggravated assault against a police officer.
Brendon Wanihi was jailed for 18 months in the Hamilton District Court this week for the attack on a Hamilton police officer last year.
Wanihi served 14 years in prison for using a rake to murder an elderly woman in her house in Tramway Rd, Hamilton, in 1985.
On December 9 last year, Wanihi, 37, refused to stop for police and led them on a chase through peak-hour Hamilton traffic, eventually stopping in Peachgrove Rd.
A passenger in the car ran off while Wanihi also ran down an alleyway, where he was cornered by a police officer.
Wanihi told the officer to "leave me alone" and began throwing rocks at him. One hit the officer in the head.
The police officer tried to pepper spray Wanihi, who was climbing a fence to get away.
Wanihi fell on top of the officer, got up and kicked him.
"Do you want to have a go then," Wanihi said as he stood over him.
A member of the public then helped the police officer restrain Wanihi.
Defence lawyer Douglas Hall said Wanihi "panicked" because there was a warrant out for his arrest.
Mr Hall also produced photographs showing Wanihi threw stones, not rocks.
In court this week - when Wanihi admitted four charges - Judge Robert Wolff said there was a certain sense of hopelessness about the case.
In 1986, Wanihi was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of the 1985 murder of elderly Fairfield widow Evelyn Victoria Orr.
Mrs Orr was killed after being hit by a chair and rake in her Tramway Rd home.
She suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung, broken neck, several cuts and a dislocated shoulder.
Puncture wounds on her back were consistent with being hit four times with a rake.
Wanihi was last released from prison in 2002 and had admitted to having an alcohol problem.
Judge Wolff sentenced Wanihi to 18 months' imprisonment for the aggravated assault and assault with a blunt weapon charges against the police officer.
Susana Talagi is a Wintec journalism student.
Not a bad article for a journalism student -- tho' I found the distinction between "rocks" and "stones" interesting, worthy of further development.
In 1986, Wanihi was sentenced (TO LIFE??????????) in prison after being found guilty of the 1985 murder of elderly Fairfield widow Evelyn Victoria Orr.
> In 1986, Wanihi was sentenced (TO LIFE??????????) in prison after being found guilty of the 1985 murder of elderly Fairfield widow Evelyn Victoria Orr.
“Life” in prison is a joke in NZ.
It’s pretty much a joke here as well.
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