Life sentence for murder in Kaitaia

PRISON: Villiami Fungavaka, serving a minimum of 17 years for murder. PICTURE/JOHN STONE

A 47-year-old man who ran over his partner in Kaitaia with what the Crown described as murderous intent and a high level of "brutality and callousness," will spend at least 17 years in prison.

Villiami Fungavaka drove his Holden Commodore over his partner, 28-year-old Georgina Manuel, in Pukepoto Road in Kaitaia in August 2013. Ms Manuel died in Whangarei Hospital the next morning.

The father of seven appeared before the High Court at Whangarei last week.

Justice John Faire sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years. He was convicted of murder on October 6 after an eight-week jury trial.

The jury had heard that Fungavaka was seen striking Ms Manuel with his car, then turning around and running her over a second time as she lay on the road. The Crown said Ms Manuel suffered two major injuries, either of which could have killed her. When she was struck the first time she suffered massive brain injuries, and the second time her liver was crushed.

The defence said Ms Manuel had stepped out on the road and collided with the vehicle. Fungavaka had struck her the second time because he had not seen her as she lay on the poorly-lit road.

Members of Ms Manuel's family, including her daughter, parents and sister, told the court of their deep sense of loss and pain. Fungavaka had shown no remorse and had forced the family to endure a trial.

Ms Manuel's sister, Saffron Bates, said Fungavaka had preyed on her sister, and the relationship had been disastrous.

"He has shown no remorse. He has taken every step to avoid responsibility (for) my sister's death," she said, describing him as sadistic.

"She was loyal, loving and caring, and a person who had a few imperfections, but who doesn't?" she added.

"A decision was made by you, and you did murder my daughter. You should get life for what you did," the victim's mother Marie Manuel said.

Justice Faire said an unremorseful Fungavaka had deliberately targeted Ms Manuel, while Crown prosecutor Bernadette O'Connor said medical, scientific and eyewitness evidence had all come together to establish that both impacts were deliberate, and performed with murderous intent and a high level of "brutality and callousness."

Counsel Kahungunu Barron-Afeaki said his client had expressed remorse in a police interview, and maintained that he had not seen Ms Manuel. Not a day went by when his client did not feel pain or anguish for what had happened.