Father and son now in jail

A 17-year-old who was present when his father committed a double killing has now gone to jail for four years six months himself for a suburban Christchurch assault that left his victim's face "floating and insecure".

Wiremu Raymond Taylor was only 16 when he committed the assault, but his name can be reported because the attack was so serious it was sent from the Youth Court to the District Court for sentencing today by Judge David Holderness.

The judge commented that the youth had "witnessed the incident which has led to (his father) being where he is today".

It is understood the father is now an inmate in Christchurch Prison serving a life term with a non-parole period of 17 years for a double killing.

Taylor has not been in serious trouble before but he exhibited violent behaviour from an early age.

Defence counsel Colin Eason described it as "an out-of-control and frenzied attack".

Judge Holderness told Taylor it was "essentially impulsive behaviour fuelled by the bourbon you had been drinking - but that is in no way any excuse for the extreme violence you used".

The incident took place early on April 4, in Bryndwr, where Taylor was attending a party. He and a group went to the victim's home nearby in the mistaken belief that a stolen car, which belonged to Taylor's cousin, was there.

The 25-year-old victim refused to let Taylor on to the property and an altercation began. Taylor jumped the fence and a fight developed. The judge said the victim was entitled to try to remove Taylor from the property, having refused him entry.

The victim was winning the fight and had turned away when Taylor picked up a piece of wood and struck him on the side of the face. He fell, semi-conscious, and Taylor hit him four or five more times with the wood.

Others tried to restrain Taylor and got him away toward the gate when he suddenly ran back and kicked the victim in the head causing a "whiplash" motion by the head.

The injuries were very severe. The man had a fractured skull, broken jaw, eye socket fractures, and plates and screws had to be used to fix the bones back in place. His face had been "floating and insecure" after the damage.

Taylor, who was assessed as a high risk of reoffending, was jailed for four years six months after reductions for his age, his record, and his guilty plea to the charge of intentionally wounding the victim.

Judge Holderness told him: "No judge finds it easy to send someone of your age for a lengthy prison term such as this, but the offence is so serious and the injuries so grave that the court cannot respond with a sentence of less than four-and-a-half years."

- NZPA