Kerre Woodham: Give judge tools

Warren Jenkins. Photo / Greg Bowker

When a judge calls for tougher sentencing options, it's probably a good idea to listen to her.

Last week, Judge Emma Aitken sentenced Warren Jenkins to four years' imprisonment for killing a young mum. Jenkins was boozed to the eyeballs and behind the wheel of a vehicle. Disaster was inevitable.

He hit Rin Kennedy's car head-on as she tried desperately to take evasive action. She died in Whangarei Hospital, leaving her 5-year-old son to be raised by family.

Jenkins had 17 previous drink-drive-related convictions - 17.

In sentencing him to the maximum of four years, Judge Aitken said this was the worst offending of its kind and she would have liked to have given him a harsher sentence had the option been available.

So there we go, team. We're always slamming the judges for not giving out tougher sentences. But here's a judge who wants the ability to keep scum like Jenkins off the roads for longer than four years and she needs help to do so.

Once the Government has acted to put in place the measures required to help rebuild Canterbury, perhaps we can look at giving Judge Aitken and her colleagues the tools they need to do their job properly.