The court heard Bruce Wirihana-Hawkins was stabbed over a missing packet of tobacco. Photo / File
The court heard Bruce Wirihana-Hawkins was stabbed over a missing packet of tobacco. Photo / File
A Hastings man has been sentenced to 4 years 2 months in prison for stabbing a friend and neighbour to death in a rage fuelled by alcohol and methamphetamine.
Bruce Wirihana-Hawkins was 30 when he died in the driveway of his home in Lumsden Rd, Hastings, early on the morning of February 8 last year.
One of 20 siblings, he left behind partner Leanne Karangaroa and their five daughters and only son, all aged under 14 years.
Vaughan Robert Davies, aged 43 at the time, admitted inflicting a 13cm deep stab wound with a folding pocket knife during a brief drunken confrontation, but claimed it happened in self-defence and there was no intention to kill.
The tragedy happened as Davies, who had been drinking and also consuming methamphetamine, crossed the road from his home to confront Wirihana-Hawkins over Davies' son's claim that his tobacco had been stolen.
During the trial in March, Crown lawyer Cameron Stuart told the jury Wirihana-Hawkins was stabbed over the "missing packet of tobacco".
In evidence, Davies claimed Wirihana-Hawkins started swinging at him, but Justice Christine Grice said in the High Court on Thursday there had been no other evidence of that, and no one had seen the wound being inflicted.
Davies had fled to his home, without checking on his neighbour's condition, and then fled his home to avoid police, the Judge said.
Hastings stabbing victim Bruce Wirihana Hawkins, who died on February 8, 2019. Photo /Supplied
Davies denied a charge of murder and claimed the single wound was inflicted in self-defence. On March 20 he was found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.
Today the Judge agreed with Crown and bereaved whānau assertions of a lack of remorse but took into account that Davies had at an early stage indicated he would plead guilty to manslaughter if the prosecution did not proceed with the murder charge.
Defence counsel Eric Forster contended there had been remorse, because in an interview with a probation officer, Davies, while not focusing on the deceased, said the offence "had messed me up and it breaks my heart".
At the trial, Karangaroa held a photo of the deceased and told of hearing him cry out "Babe, Babe", and going outside where she saw him take his last breath.
In court today in Napier, with the Judge, the defendant and defence counsel all appearing via audio-visual link, deceased man's aunt Heather Hawkins told Davies: "No one outside of our whānau and friends knew Bruce better than we knew him. We know in our hearts he wasn't a violent man, and yet we witnessed and saw his reputation being dragged through the mud and with it his mana being dishonoured.
"It broke our whānau to watch his last movements and knowing very well that it would be the last time we see him alive," she said.
"I doubt it, but if you can only imagine how devastating our wairua has been emotionally, not to mention mentally. The trauma we have been put through is disturbing to say the least. But at least you get to walk this earth and breathe in all the air to keep you alive."
She said that whatever the penalty it would not bring her nephew back and Davies deserved more than he would get.
Because of the Covid-19 level 3 restrictions, only three of the whānau were in court.
The Judge highlighted that Davies had taken a pocket knife with him to the address and was prepared to use it, angered while under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine, knowing the effect it could have given other mental and health conditions.
