Jasmine Tamara Wilson was left critically injured and unconscious at Whanganui Hospital's Emergency Department on July 31, 2019. Photo / Supplied
A mother says the man convicted of killing her daughter is a danger to society and had put her family through three years of hell.
Jasmine Wilson, a mother of two, was left critically injured and unconscious at Whanganui Hospital's Emergency Department on July 31, 2019. She had suffered serious head injuries and was later transferred to Wellington Hospital, where she died on August 2, 2019.
In the High Court at Whanganui on Monday, Zane Paora Wallace appeared before Justice Andru Isac and entered a guilty plea to the 30-year-old's murder.
Jury selection for the trial hadn't got underway when Wallace admitted the charge.
Outside the court, Wilson's mother Brenda O'Shea said Wallace had dragged things out for as long as he could, putting the family through hell, before making the admission.
"He murdered my daughter. I knew that he did it, and he knew that he did this and he put our family through this for three years," O'Shea said.
She said while there was a suspicion Wallace would finally plead guilty, nothing was going to bring her daughter back.
"I want him to do the years and I want the world to know that he's a danger to society."
Her husband Robert O'Shea said the case felt like it had dragged on.
"Just when you thought it was in the past, then you got a visit from the police or would have to go and see the lawyer and it just brought it all back up again," he said.
The first attempt to hear the case in the High Court at Wellington, which began in April 2021, was abandoned after two weeks when medical evidence was updated and needed to be considered.
Crown prosecutor Chris Wilkinson-Smith had told the jury Wilson's death was the culmination of nine months of threats and violence from Wallace.
Wallace had formally admitted several other assaults, and inflicting injuries that resulted in Wilson being taken to hospital.
At that trial, defence lawyer Jamie Waugh told the jury that the issue was whether the death was murder or manslaughter.
Wallace's parents, Leanne and Steven Wallace, as well as his sister, Stevie-Lee Wallace, had all been convicted and sentenced for attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to Wilson's death.
On Monday, the public gallery was full with friends and family of Wilson in the front row and Wallace in the back of the seating.
Wallace was convicted of murder and remanded in custody to reappear for sentencing on September 16.
As Wallace was lead out of the courtroom he exchanged waves with people in the public gallery, who were also blowing him kisses. "Love you my boy" one called out.