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A Christchurch City councillor has been criticised after saying a 50-year-old charged with murdering a teenage tagger in Auckland should "get away" with the alleged crime.
Bruce William Emery was remanded in custody this week after the fatal stabbing of 15-year-old Pihema Clifford Cameron in Manurewa, on Saturday night.
The stabbing allegedly occurred during an argument that arose after Pihema was about to tag a fence on a property and was chased.
"If I was on the jury, I would let him get away with it, but that is just me," councillor Barry Corbett during a Christchurch City Councile debate over whether to introduce bylaws to tackle graffiti, vandalism and substance abuse.
The comments were later criticised by city youth workers.
After the meeting, Mr Corbett told The Press he did not know the full facts of the case, but he stood by his remarks.
"Everyone is feeling sorry for the kid and his family, but if the kid was not tagging, he would still be alive."
Miriama McDonald, manager of the council funded Project Legit, which deals with problem taggers by educating them about street art, said the comments were "silly and emotional".
"Comments like that are extremely inflammatory, just hype the matter up, and are about one or two steps away from a lynch mob," Ms McDonald told The Press.said.
"Is that what we want? I do not think it is very responsible at all. It is disappointing, especially from a councillor."
Youth and cultural development manager Anni Watkin said the comments were concerning.
"My opinion is that under those circumstances no-one has the right to take someone else's life. It is easy to make a statement, as Barry did, without thinking it through.
"I would be really concerned if someone got off a murder charge because someone tagged property."
- NZPA
