Bring on Three Strikes

Later today I am going to blog some criticisms of Three Strikes by Maxim, and suggested amendments. But for now, want to highlight why I support it.

The Dom Post reports:

A burglar who terrorised a woman has dodged jail, despite a previous conviction for attempted murder after stabbing a sleeping teenager in his bed.

The woman, who was chased out of her home and down the street by Burt Te Manu Tangiata Rikihana, 27, described the sentence of supervision as “a joke”.

Rikihana was arrested in December after forcing his way into a Petone home, where the woman was home with her three-year-old child.

Rikihana tried to grab the woman, but she got away from him. She fled down the street, before police arrived and caught Rikihana as he chased her.

In Lower Hutt District Court yesterday, he was sentenced to 24 months’ intensive supervision and 200 hours’ community service on burglary and assault charges.

It is pretty obvious from his pursuit that he was not just there to burgle, but to rape or kill.

In February 2002, Rikihana was sentenced to nine years’ jail for attempted murder, after stabbing Hastings 15-year-old Paul Robertshaw as he lay sleeping in bed.

This was an unprovoked attack on a sleeping kid, who he didn’t even know.

Rikihana took a knife from the kitchen, held it with both hands and stabbed the teenager with such force the knife came out his back. The teen survived.

Now under three strikes, this assault would be the second strike. As the Judge did not give a jail term, the penalty would be the same.

But under three strikes, if Rikihana commits a third violent or sexual offence, he would be given the maximum jail term without parole.

That might prevent more victims down the track.