13 Dec 2008

Sensible Sentencing Trust wanted killer of tagger set free

3:54 pm on 13 December 2008

The Sensible Sentencing Trust says it wanted to see the killer of a teenage tagger set free, because he was forced to take the law into his own hands.

Bruce Emery, 50, was found guilty on Friday of manslaughter for the fatal stabbing of Pihema Cameron, 15.

He caught the teenager spray-painting his garage door in Manurewa in January.

Trust spokesperson Garth McVicar says the verdict is a shame, because he understands the frustration Emery was going through when he caught the tagger at his house.

He says the trust would have liked to have seen Emery discharged altogether.

Mr McVicar says this would have sent a message that minor crimes like graffitti need to be dealt with seriously.

Otherwise, with the continual breakdown of law and order, he says people will become frustrated and forced to breaking-point.

Mayor seeks police funding

The mayor of Manukau city, Len Brown, is to meet with the Prime Minister, John Key, to see how soon the government can make good on a promise of extra police in the area.

Manurewa councillor Daniel Newman says more police are needed on the frontline in South Auckland to prevent crimes like the death of Pihema Cameron.

Mr Brown says he'll ask Mr Key next week when they're to recieve the promised 300 extra police for Counties Manukau.

He says he's hoping at least two-thirds of that number will end up in the community.