12 Sep 2014

Jail term too light, says victim's family

9:09 pm on 12 September 2014

The brother of a man killed at a party says the offender's sentence of nearly three years is too light.

Taele Faletolu was sentenced today at the High Court in Christchurch for the manslaughter of young father-of-two Alfred Waterhouse, whom he attacked at a party in March this year.

Mr Waterhouse died in hospital a week after being kneed in the head, and in May Faletolu pleaded guilty to the charge.

The victim's brother, Junior Waterhouse, talked of his family's heartbreak at the death of the 20-year-old just two years after their mother died of cancer.

Outside court, he said the sentence of two years and nine months was not enough. "My brother's gone for good. I guess we've got to try and get used to seeing him at a cemetery."

Mr Waterhouse said he had hoped that Faletolu would jailed for at least seven or eight years.

In court, a statement was read by their father Reverend Perkins Waterhouse who, holding back tears, said his son was a precious gift from God. Looking directly at Faletolu, he finished saying: 'May God forgive you.'

During sentencing, the Crown argued the fact Faletolu ran towards the victim and jumped onto the bonnet of a car before landing on him with his knee meant that the case could not be argued this was a one-punch-type scenario.

His defence argued this was the case, and asked for a sentence of home detention.

Justice Dunningham disagreed, and sentenced Faletolu to two years and nine months after taking into account his early guilty plea.