One of New Zealand’s youngest killers has been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 10 years, for the murder of a rough sleeper in Hawke’s Bay.
Haami Hanara, now 15, was found guilty of the murder of 40-year-old Kelly Donner, who was found with critical injuries outside a Flaxmere pub last March.
The jury took three and a half hours to hand down the verdict after a week-long trial in November in the High Court at Napier.
The incident happened after Hanara, who was 14 at the time, and a group of youths were out on a Sunday night planning to rob a liquor store. The group met Mr Donner, a known rough sleeper, in a service area behind the local pub. They borrowed a torch from him to try and steal a van.
When Mr Donner asked for his torch back, a fight broke out which spilled into a grassed area outside the tavern. Bottles and concrete were thrown by each party and Mr Donner was even hit with a bicycle.
CCTV footage played in court showed Hanara with a knife in his hand before chasing Mr Donner out of shot. The teenager then returned to frame with the knife covered in blood.
Multiple teenagers gave evidence stating that they saw Hanara with the knife that night. With one telling the court she saw him punching Mr Donner in the neck and shoulder area and afterwards say, "I stabbed him – run".
Hanara also testified at the trial, telling the court he didn't remember how he got Mr Donner's blood on the knife.
It was revealed Hanara was out on bail for a previous offence when the attack occurred.
Justice Peter Churchman told the court that the circumstances of the offending would usually warrant a higher minimum non parole period.
However, given Hanara’s age and his mental impairments, which include Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder
and ADHD plus his difficult upbringing, he decided against it.
Hanara was also sentenced to three months in prison for a charge of burglary which he earlier pleaded guilty to.
The four other youths involved in the attack have been dealt with by the youth court.
Sad list of young convicted killers
Haami Hanara joins a sad list of very young convicted killers.
Bailey Kurariki was 12 when he was with a group of teenagers who killed Michael Choy. He was convicted of manslaughter when he was 13.
At 14, Lori-lea Te Wini was the younger of two teens sentenced for the murder of John Rowe.
Thirteen-year-old Jordan Nelson shot and killed his caregiver.
Diary owner Arun Kumar was stabbed and killed by a 13-year-old with a 12-year-old also involved. Identities of both were suppressed.
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