Facebook page supports appeal against 'demeaning' murder sentence

Greg Meads was sentenced to 11 years for shooting his wife in the throat. Photo / Christine Cornege

A Facebook page has been set up to support the appeal against one of the shortest sentences ever handed down for murder in New Zealand.

The Justice for Helen Meads Facebook page was set up by the victim's father David White with the support of the Sensible Sentencing Trust, after the convicted murderer Greg Meads was sentenced to 11 years non-parole for shooting his wife in the throat at their Matamata farm in September 2009.

The page has already attracted more than 970 members.

Mr White said the family was devastated and the sentence provided no closure whatsoever and was demeaning to all victims.

"We all believe that an appeal is necessary. How can a premeditated and callous murder committed by a wealthy white businessman be any more acceptable than a murder of sudden violence by a non-white factory worker?" Mr White said.

"How can a premeditated murder be treated as a lesser crime than a death resulting from rage - where injury and harm was the objective, not death?

"This has opened the door for murder to be excusable. It cannot be allowed to be accepted.

"This is the point of the Facebook page."

It is believed Meads read text messages unloaded from his wife's cellphone which led him to believe she was to leave him. Meads then took a loaded shotgun to their stables and shot Helen in the throat, killing her instantly.

Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesperson Garth McVicar said that he was shocked at the sentence - one of the shortest ever given for murder - and that he was deeply saddened for the victim's family.

"We wanted to help the family mount an appeal against the sentence, and we knew the public would recognise it an as outrage, so we thought a Facebook page might be a good idea - and we've been astounded at the number of people who have signed up and made comments.

Mr Mc Vicar said Greg Meads is reportedly worth upward of $30 million, but was ordered to pay only $65,000 to Helen's three children, which he said made murder cheaper than divorce.

"David's had to come out of retirement to look after them and the poor guy is just worried what will happen if he gets ill."

A Twitter account has also been set up.