Meet a second striker #2
This is number 2 is what will be a long series.
Billy Matara is a second striker. He attempted to murder a man by shooting him with a shotgun. The victim was lucky to survive. That was Matara’s second strike offence.
Ironically the attempted murder took place at a hostel for prisoner rehabilitation!
His first strike was an aggravated robbery in which he and another offender terrorised a shopkeeper in their antique shop. He committed his first strike offence while on bail.
Matara has 129 criminal convictions. He is a very dangerous man and a hard-core recidivist offender.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Justice Minister Andrew Little want him out of prison early to continue his lengthy criminal career of seriously harming others.
Under Three Strikes, he has to serve his entire 10 years, 2 months term of imprisonment, without being released early on parole. Three Strikes keeps him in prison until at least July 2026.
Without Three Strikes he would be eligible for parole after just 3 years, 4 months imprisonment – around September next year – almost 7 years less than under Three Strikes. The sentencing Judge suggested that without Three Strikes, a minimum term of 40% – or 4 years – would have been imposed. That’s only 6 months more than the bare minimum!
How many more victims will he create in those extra 7 years he gets to be out in the community? Does anyone think he is going to stop at offence no. 130?