A teenager who stabbed a budding rugby league star in the neck with a beer bottle has been cleared of murder.
Outside court Tipene's uncle Sean Wilson said the experience of going through two trials and seeing the killer acquitted of murder was "very traumatic", especially for his sister, Luke's mum.
Vincent Skeen making progress in prison but family of his victim Luke Tipene don't want him in Auckland when he's released.
The teenager convicted of killing another schoolboy in a drunken brawl will stay behind bars for at least another 12 months.
Vincent Angene Skeen was convicted last year of the manslaughter of Luke Tipene outside a party in Grey Lynn in November 2014.
Tipene, a talented rugby league player, died after suffering massive blood loss from a deep stab wound to his neck from a broken bottle swung by Skeen. He was 17, Skeen just 16.
"It will be no comfort to the Tipene family that this case is yet another example - and we are not short of them - of what can happen when someone throws the first punch," said Justice Mary Peters in sentencing Skeen to five years and two months in prison.
"It is anyone's guess where things will end up after a fight and they can end up tragically, as they have in this case."
Now 19, Skeen has appeared before the Parole Board for the second time but was denied an early release from prison.
A psychological report said Skeen "presented as highly motivated to address his behaviour and to create a pro-social pathway for the future".
While his conduct in prison was described as "positive", the Parole Board said Skeen had not been given the opportunity to complete any treatment programmes to address his offending and help re-integrate to society on his eventual release.
"Whilst he has a release proposal, the Board does not regard it as suitable at this point having regard to the concerns of his victim. Parole today is declined."
Before the hearing, the Parole Board met the unnamed victim who raised concerns that drug treatment alone would not adequately address the violent nature of Skeen's crime.
"These issues were discussed with Mr Skeen. He repeated that he was sorry for what he had done to the victim," the Parole Board said in a written decision.
"He has taken on board the issue with respect to the victim's wishes that he not enter the Auckland area."
Skeen must be released by February 2020 but will appear again before the Parole Board in June next year.
Luke Tipene was a talented rugby league player. Photo/Supplied.
Luke Tipene was a talented sportsman and student, who lost his father at a young age.
The body of Christopher Tipene, 33, was found in a bush behind a local school in 2002, when Luke was about 5.
Luke was one of five children, but the only son, raised single-handedly by their mother Terri Wilson.
His death was devastating to his whanau, described by his mother as "intense and paralysing".
Luke Tipene lived in Glen Eden, West Auckland and attended Nga Kakano o te Kaihanga Kura, a private Christian school in Henderson, where he was popular among students and staff.
He was a rising league star and had been a member of the Glenora Bears club, near his home, since he was a child. When he wasn't playing, he was helping out at the tuck shop and encouraging the younger players.
Tipene had caught the eye of the Warriors development coaches and had been selected for national rep teams.
He was a big Warriors fan and wanted to play for them one day, friends and family said.
Vincent Skeen was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter. Photo/Nick Reed.
Vincent Skeen also lost his father at a young age.
He was just a toddler when Darren Skeen, just 19, died in a workplace accident in Auckland in February 1999.
The incident was described as the country's worst industrial accident in 20 years.
Skeen and two colleagues were flushing out sewerage lines in downtown Auckland but were overcome by deadly gases.
During a health and safety hearing, Judge Barbara Morris paid tribute to the dead teen's attempt to rescue his two workmates at the cost of his own life. "This court can only admire his bravery and lament his loss," she said.
Darren Skeen's wife, Jasmine Ryan, campaigned for stronger penalties against companies which breached safety regulations and called the penalties against her partner's employers "pitiful".
She raised her sons in Ponsonby, and they attended Western Springs College.
The paths of Luke Tipene and Vincent Skeen fatally intertwined at a party in Grey Lynn in November 2014.
Two other boys at the party were planning to have a fight; Tipene and Skeen jumped in to back their mates up.
Tipene, bigger and stronger, punched Skeen to the ground twice.
"At some point you either broke a bottle or you picked one up that was already broken," Justice Peters said to Skeen. "You were holding it by the neck and it had a large protruding shard, so it was a bit like the blade of a knife."
Skeen swung the bottle at Tipene several times. On the last swing, it connected with his neck and cut his jugular vein.
In sentencing Skeen, Justice Peters cut his sentence for a number of factors including genuine remorse and his youth.
"Seventeen-year-old boys are not adults. They are impulsive, and they lack judgment and foresight."
Timeline
• November 2014 - Luke Tipene dies from massive blood loss. Vincent Skeen charged with murder. • September 2015 - Jury unable to reach verdict on murder charge at trial. • July 2016 - Skeen acquitted of murder, convicted of manslaughter at retrial. Sentenced to 5 years 2 months in prison. • June 2017 - Skeen denied early release by Parole Board. • June 2018 - Next appearance in front of Parole Board. • February 2020 - Statutory release date.
