Teen sentenced for killing Trinity College student last year

The defendant, who has permanent name suppression, was charged with murder after stabbing the 16-year-old student with a kitchen knife. The defendant, who was aged 13 at the time of the stabbing, was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in the Dunedin High Court earlier this year.

Justice Robert Osborne, who oversaw the jury trial, this month sentenced the teenager to three years and three months imprisonment, refusing the defence’s application not to enter a conviction. Justice Osborne set a starting point for the sentence at seven years, but gave various discounts for the defendant’s youth, prospects of rehabilitation, time spent on bail and remorse.

During the sentencing, Justice Osborne told the defendant that aggravating factors included carrying and concealing a long knife, that McLaren-Taana was unarmed and there was nothing to suggest he was threatening the defendant’s life. It was not self defence, he said.

There was a risk of deportation to both the defendant, his mother and sister due to the conviction, but the defendant had a history of carrying a knife with the knowledge it could impact his immigration status, he said.

The judge granted permanent name suppression. Because of his age, the defendant will serve his sentence in a youth facility.

Justice Osborne acknowledged the pain and grief of McLaren-Taana’s family after losing a “young man of great promise” who was loved. Emotions were raw as victim impact statements were read out to the packed court.

FULL STORY

Dunedin teen jailed for 3 years and 3 months for bus stop stabbing of Enere McLaren-Taana (By Tess Brunton/Radio New Zealand)

Dunedin bus hub killing of Enere McLaren-Taana: Teenager sentenced to three years’ imprisonment (New Zealand Herald)

Deportation likely for Enere’s killer (Otago Daily Times)