Te Uraura Nganeko speaks at the rally at the Tukapa Rugby Club where his son was fatally assaulted. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
About 200 people have gathered at a march calling for the introduction of new coward punch law to be fast tracked.
Te Uraura Nganeko, who is the father of Danile Nganeko, spoke to the crowd who gathered at the Tukapa Rugby Club where his son was fatally assaulted.
He told them Daniel's death in such circumstances should be the last.
Some of those taking part were wearing white T-shirts bearing Daniel's image.
Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
After the rally they began marching to the New Plymouth courthouse.
There Daytona Thomas is expected to plead to charges of manslaughter for causing Daniel's Nganeko's death.
Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Another of those taking in the march is Ben Leng who spent a week in a coma after being blindsided by "sort of a coward's punch" by a New Plymouth bouncer last December.
Leng said emergency surgery in Wellington saved his life.
"Flip of the coin really, it could've gone either way, and I'm definitely lucky. And it's a few things that are keeping me positive, and that's one of them, that I'm still here."
The bouncer, Taylor Watkins, was sentenced to 12 months' home detention and ordered to pay 15-thousand dollars in reparations.
Leng is among those calling for tougher penalties for one-punch attacks.
Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
In June, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the government would legislate to ensure coward punches were treated as a specific offence and sentences reflected the gravity of the crime.
"We know how dangerous they are. People can be killed or suffer lifelong brain injuries, yet perpetrators often receive lenient and insufficient sentences," he said.
The new legislation would include:
- An assault offence for one punch attacks which cause grievous bodily harm with associated maximum penalties of eight years imprisonment when the offender intended to cause injury or acted with reckless disregard for safety, or 15 years imprisonment when the offender intended to cause grievous bodily harm.
- A culpable homicide offence for a one punch attack which results in death with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
- Both offences would be added to the Three Strikes legislation.
The legislation fulfils part of National's coalition agreement with New Zealand First.
Goldsmith aimed to introduce the Bill before the end of the year, and have it passed into law before the next general election.
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