A Turangi man who stabbed his step-son to death was today jailed for life.
Douglas Kotahi Ham was sentenced by Justice Patrick Keen in the High Court at Rotorua this morning after being found guilty last month of murdering James Samuel Galloway at Lake Rotoaira, 20km west of Turangi, on May 23 last year.
The Crown claimed Ham was concerned that he may have sexually assaulted Mr Galloway while he slept, and lured him to the lake where he stabbed him to death.
Justice Keen said although Ham had been married for seven years he had struggled with his sexual orientation and previously been involved in homosexual relationships.
Outside the court, Ham's wife Christine said she still loved him.
Mr Galloway's father, Dave Galloway, said although the two families remained close, he thought a sentence of 12 years would have been more appropriate than the mandatory 10-year life term.
