But 20-year-old Ozzy Paeaka Herewini may soon be out.
In the Dunedin District Court yesterday, Judge David Robinson jailed him for 23 months but gave him leave to apply for home detention if an appropriate address became available.
"I’m keen for you to be able to go to your foster parents’ home ... particularly given your age and the fact you’d be vulnerable to other people’s influences [in prison]," the judge said.
Yesterday’s sentencing ended a turbulent two years for Herewini, whose crimes began in 2022 with a brutal attack in the Octagon.
The defendant’s friend became involved in a fight as a crowd gathered to watch.
One of the bystanders, a middle-aged man who had been drinking in a nearby bar, was pushed to the ground.
Herewini responded by kicking him in the head, rendering him unconscious.
Court documents revealed how he circled the victim as one of his mates took a "selfie" with the motionless man in the background.
A minute later, the victim regained consciousness. Cellphone footage showed him staggering away, refusing to wait for an ambulance.
"These actions are consistent with a person having suffered a traumatic brain injury," a police summary said.
Eight months on, while on bail, Herewini drove Swade Davis, Braedyn Erni and Eugene McCarthy to a Corstorphine home. Judge Robinson accepted Herewini was ignorant as to what would ensue.
Davis and Erni subjected the occupant to a prolonged beating using a baseball bat, which left the victim with a broken wrist.
While Herewini went to the door and witnessed part of what happened, he was not involved in the violence and his role was limited to driving the others away from the house.
Because of his age and lack of previous convictions, the defendant was granted bail again.
On August 30, police were called to a central Dunedin backpackers.
Herewini had clashed with another resident in a shared kitchen and threatened him while wielding a knife.
"What are you going to do if I use this?" he said.
The victim wrestled the weapon away from him and managed to block a punch thrown by Herewini before police arrived.
And yet the situation deteriorated further.
Herewini provided false details to officers and maintained the lie even when his fingerprints revealed his true identity.
Judge Robinson referred to documents before the court which showed a more positive side to Herewini’s character.
"Certainly, I think you’ve got the capacity to put this behind you and move on when you get back to a supportive environment," Judge Robinson said.
Herewini was convicted of injuring with intent to injure, being an accessory to an aggravated burglary, assault, threatening behaviour and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
August’s sentencing of his co-defendants in the home invasion was significantly more dramatic.
Erni was jailed for six years, one month and Davis for five years, one month.
After being sentenced, the latter responded by leaving the dock and punching a police officer in the face, fracturing his cheekbone.
McCarthy got community detention and intensive supervision.
— Rob Kidd, Court reporter
