Two teenagers with gang associations who bashed, kicked, and stomped a 14-year-old boy causing his brain to swell were today handed down lengthy jail terms.
Both had shown a propensity for violence and robbery, said Christchurch District Court Judge Colin Doherty as he jailed Harley Ehekrera Tapine, 17, for seven years, and Jamie Junior Karlytzky, 18, for six years.
Defence counsel Colin Eason and Tony Greig said immediately after the sentencing session, which followed a trial last month, that the jail terms would be appealed in the High Court.
Both had been convicted of wounding the boy with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and Tapine was found guilty of robbing him of a cellphone, sweatshirt, and shoes, and also assaulting him.
The victim was confronted by a group at 3.30am in Christchurch's Linwood Park, when he was assaulted and had his cellphone taken by Tapine.
During the attack, the boy pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed Tapine and another teenager, Chelsea Lissina Whaanga. The wounds were not serious and did not need medical attention.
After the stabbing, Tapine and Karlytzky attacked the boy, punching, kicking and stomping him after dragging him onto a basketball court area.
Judge Doherty said that once the boy had been knocked down, dropping the knife, that should have ended the assault.
"The majority of the violence was meted out to teach him a lesson and was designed to seriously hurt him, which you did."
The boy was hospitalised with swelling to the brain, cracked teeth, eyes swollen closed, and bruising to his head, arms, and torso.
He still had terrible headaches, but it seemed he would make a good recovery.
The judge said pre-sentence reports said the teenage youths showed no motivation to reform and preferred to continue their affiliation to their gangs.
The court had been told of associations with the Crips gang.
Mr Eason said Tapine had only two weeks of high school education, and had had a tragic upbringing.
Mr Greig said Karlytzky had woken from a drunken stupor on the night and found two of his friends had been stabbed.
Both counsel cited provocation in the stabbings, but Judge Doherty had not accepted that.
The boy had already been severely attacked when he pulled the knife. He had pleaded guilty to a charge laid in the Youth Court, but in Judge Doherty's view he may have had defence.
Crown prosecutor Marcus Zintl said both youths committed the attack while on bail, and Tapine had shown no remorse or empathy.
