A man acquitted three weeks ago of the manslaughter of a 16-year-old boy in a Christchurch park was today sentenced to community work.
Sonny Avon Rehu, 32, pleaded guilty in Christchurch District Court to three new charges.
He was one of two men charged with the murder of social welfare runaway Shaun Finnerty-Gallagher, who was found dead, nearly naked, in Upper Riccarton's Auburn Reserve early last year.
The charge was reduced to manslaughter during the trial, and Rehu was acquitted. His co-accused, Thomas Tihema Christie, 26, was convicted and is awaiting sentence.
Rehu was released on November 5 and was free for a week before being arrested and remanded in custody,
Today, he pleaded guilty to charges of theft, being unlawfully in a vehicle, and driving while prohibited.
Judge Tony Couch looked at Rehu's criminal history and said: "Ironically, offences of dishonesty don't feature much in recent times".
He sentenced him to 200 hours community service.
