Tourists' attackers jailed

Mark Wikotu at an earlier court appearance.

A tourist attacked in Whakatane in the early hours on Boxing Day still thinks of the attack every day and often finds herself in tears, a court has heard.

Mark Wikotu, 19, Antonia Biddle, 15, Marshall Poihipi, 16, and Jason Poihipi, 14, were sentenced in the Whakatane District Court yesterday for the aggravated robbery of a German couple in their tent near the Whakatane skate park about 2am last December 26.

All were jailed - Wikotu for four years and four months, Biddle three years and three months, Marshall Poihipi four years and six months and Jason Poihipi three years and three months.

Marshall and Jason Poihipi and Biddle each also paid $1000 reparation to the victims.

The couple, who were 18 and 19 at the time, read their victim impact statements to the court.

The woman, who suffered a fractured eye socket and arm, a broken nose and bruises and abrasions, said the attack had affected, and continued to affect her life.

She said she had been upset to leave New Zealand with three months of her and her partner's planned trip left to go, had lost a necklace of sentimental value, her family had been upset and now, when she saw a group of teenagers, she became afraid.

The man lost several teeth and suffered a serious gash to his head and bruises and abrasions during the attack. He said he had been gutted to cut his planned overseas experience short and knew the incident would impact on the rest of his life.

During the attack the victims were beaten with a tree branch and a broomstick, and punched and kicked. At one stage they were able to escape but the offenders chased them and continued the beating. They were left terrified and covered in blood.

After the beating the four offenders went into the Germans' tent and removed property including the keys to the couple's rental vehicle. They piled the property into the vehicle but were disturbed by police.

Judge Louis Bidois said the opportunistic attack probably lasted for four or five minutes in total.

"And for that you will pay dearly," he told the four.

He said one couldn't imagine the fear the tourists would have felt on the night.

"They were woken, attacked when vulnerable, chased and attacked again. They were subjected to serious violence and showed very little mercy.

"The image of New Zealand would have also been changed because of your actions."

A 17-year-old male, whose name is suppressed, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated
robbery and unlawfully getting into a vehicle in relation to the same incident.