Disgraceful Police behaviour

Stuff reports:

Police have recruited a former Navy sailor who killed a stranger with a punch to the head to testify of the dangers of late night bars.  

Grenville McFarland, 30, was jailed for the manslaughter of Tarun Asthana, who he killed with a blow to the head in November 2013. 

Police approached McFarland to give evidence to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority that bars should close earlier to prevent similar tragedies.

This makes my blood boil. The Police are parading around a convicted killer and trying to turn him into a victim, by saying it wasn’t his fault he killed someone – it is the fault of the bar that was open late at night.

This is fucking disgraceful.

Why don’t they also get a convicted rapist to give evidence that he only raped someone because he had had a few drinks, and hence bars should close earlier to help prevent rape.

But Asthana’s mother Yvette said McFarland should take responsibility for his actions rather than blame late night opening hours. 

How disgraceful that the victims of this killer, now have to endure the Police parading him around and effectively implying he was not responsible for his actions.

Yvette Asthana said: “He has to learn to take ownership for his actions. He absolutely should take responsibility for his actions. I pray that he takes ownership.”

She said she missed her son every day. “It’s three years since my boy passed. Tarun was very much a gentleman.”

Tarun’s friend Eddie Lo, who works in the hospitality industry, said closing times were irrelevant in Tarun’s death. 

“Maybe he would have been in a different place, and maybe Tarun would be alive (but) it’s not about the opening hours, it’s about New Zealand’s drinking culture,” he said. 

“My professional opinion is very simple. You can’t blame alcohol. You blame the choices you make.” 

Exactly. Thousands and thousands of people enjoy a drink after midnight and don’t get violent and don’t kill people.

The Police are out of control when it comes to their attempts to force their desire for bar hours on the public. To parade around a convicted killer who blames his crimes on a bar being open is appalling.