A man who kidnapped and severed a woman's finger because of a drug debt in Wellington has been sent to prison.
The High Court in Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Aaron Smale
Willie Malua-Bentley pleaded guilty to kidnapping and disfiguring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Malua-Bentley had severed the woman's index finger after dragging her by a chain through water at a Wellington beach.
She was then chained to a couch and covered in a blanket in a garage before she escaped.
The abduction lasted several days, in March last year.
At the High Court in Wellington this morning, Justice France sentenced Malua-Bentley to six years and nine months behind bars.
"I'm not prepared to go lower because a lesser sentence would not adequately reflect the seriousness of this very cruel and violent offending," Justice France said.
The judge said Malua-Bentley had used drugs, including cannabis and methamphetamine, from a young age.
Malua-Bentley's lawyer, Gary Turkington, said his client was "sorry for everything" and had an anxious desire to reform from his drug addiction.
Turkington said the 32-year-old had spiralled downwards into drugs and that led to the violent offending.
Others accused of being involved have pleaded not guilty and are expected to stand trial next month.
