Republic v Tarakia [2008] KIHC 7; Criminal Case 26 of 2007 (25 January 2008)

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KRIRBATI
CRIMINAL JURISDICTION
HELD AT BETIO
REPUBLIC OF KIRIBATI

High Court Criminal Case 26 of 2007

The Republic

v

Taurine Tarakia

For the Republic: Ms Pauline Beiatau
For the Accused: Ms Jane Fiske

Date of Hearing: 25 January 2008

SENTENCE

Taurine Tarakia: you have pleaded guilty to causing your father grievous harm. You had been threatening to kill him if he came to stay in his own house. As a result on the night of 16 October last year he slept somewhere else but came back early in the morning. You told him to leave. He stood his ground. You attacked him with a bush knife. He ran off. You threw a piece of hard wood at him. He fell down. You hit him with the wood. You stopped only when others came to help him.

This is the report from the medical assistant:

Blood all over body, restless, on arrival.

Finding – Wound – back of head – bleed profusely. Length – 6cm, Depth – 1cm. Left hand – cut three middle fingers involved. Length – 1½ bone cm depth – ½ cm – bone involved. Swollen left hand. Upper back cut caused by a sharp hard object.

All this happened on Arorae. Your father was so severely injured he was flown to the TCH and was there for three weeks.

This was a savage attack on a man of 76 and all the worse for being on your own father.

You are 34 years old. Not married although you have one child.

You have two previous convictions, both for common assault. In 2000 you were imprisoned for 12 months. In 2002 for 18 months.

You say you are sorry and have apologised to your father. Ms Fiske said you were angry over a piece of land and your father was violent during your childhood. None of this can excuse your behaviour.

The only thing in your favour is that you have pleaded guilty.

You are sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment. The sentence will run from yesterday.

Dated the 25th day of January 2008

THE HON ROBIN MILLHOUSE QC
Chief Justice