Sentences for fatal street bashing appealed

Appeals have been lodged by the Crown and defence against the sentences imposed on six men jailed for the manslaughter of a Timaru man who was stomped and kicked to death in the street last year.

John Oliver Jamieson, 21, fisherman; Morgan Christopher James Parker, 18, freezing worker; Simon Antony Anglem, 18, labourer; Ashley Jordan Moffat, 18, butcher; Nicholas John Peters, 19, freezing worker; and Daniel Raymond Kreegher, 20, boner; were found not guilty of the murder but guilty of the manslaughter of Wayne Kerry Bray following a trial in Christchurch late last year.

Mr Bray, 26, died four days after he was punched, kicked and stomped on in Timaru February 2 last year.

He had walked past a property where there had been a party in progress at which the accused were in attendance.

There had been bad blood between Anglem and Mr Bray, and after Anglem had initially assaulted Mr Bray, the six chased him down the street and beat him up.

The Crown is appealing the sentences imposed on Parker, Moffat and Peters, wanting them increased from the four-and-a-half years imprisonment handed down, the Timaru Herald reported.

The defence counsel are appealing the sentences imposed on Jamieson, Anglem and Kreegher believing they were too high.

Justice Mark Cooper decided Jamieson, Kreegher and Anglem were the principal offenders with the other three having a secondary role.

He jailed Jamieson for nine years noting he had been on bail for other charges when the assault took place. Kreegher received an eight year term and Anglem seven-and-a-half years.

Wayne Bray's father, Kerry Bray, told the newspaper the appeals just opened another chapter, and were unlikely to bring the family any comfort.

"It doesn't go away (dealing with Wayne's death). But when this happens, it just comes back full force."

- NZPA