Trent Owen Ngaruhe Hapuku, then 21, pictured at his trial in 2011, has again been denied parole. Photo File
The Flaxmere man who killed five-month-old Mikara Reti in a sleepout in 2011 has again been denied parole.
Trent Owen Ngaruhu Hapuku, 29, appeared for the further consideration of parole on a sentence of nine years for the manslaughter of the son of his then-partner.
He denied the offending at
the time of his arrest and throughout two trials, the first ending with a hung jury, but was found guilty at the end of the second.
On 5 December 2017 the Board heard that Hapuku had completed some individual psychological intervention, but there had been a deterioration in demeanour and the Parole Board observed that he seemed "sad and unmotivated".
In its decision released today the board said since that last hearing, Hapuku did talk to staff about how he feels positive for the future because of whanau support.
