Le Roux’s sentence may be reviewed
WELLINGTON: Crown Law has been asked to consider an appeal over the home detention sentence imposed on Rouxle Le Roux, who killed a 15yearold boy in a hitandrun.
Air force cadet Nathan Kraatskow died after learner driver Le Roux struck him as he was cycling across an Albany intersection on May 18.
The 19yearold, who had drunk wine and smoked cannabis earlier in the day, then took off in the Mercedes she was driving.
Last Friday, she was sentenced by Judge Nicola Mathers to 11 months’ home detention, in addition to 250 hours of community work and being disqualified from driving for two and ahalf years.
Nathan’s mother, Charlene Kraatskow, started a petition calling for prosecutors to appeal Le Roux’s sentence and seeking a harsher penalty.
‘‘I don’t think taking someone’s life and only getting 11 months’ home detention is setting a very good precedent for the kids of today,’’ she said later.
‘‘They see they can smoke weed, get in a car drunk, drive and then can kill someone and get 11 months’ home detention.’’
More than 108,000 people have signed the petition.
Yesterday, a spokeswoman for Crown Law said the Auckland Crown Solicitor had referred the case to the Solicitorgeneral’s office to consider whether an appeal should be filed.
She could not comment further while the process was under way.
‘‘A decision as to whether or not an appeal will/should be filed will be made before the expiry of the appeal period [20 working days from the date the sentence was imposed],’’ she said.
Mrs Kraatskow was overwhelmed and emotional when told about the possible appeal.
‘‘Oh, wow,’’ she said, bursting into tears.
‘‘That’s amazing . . . That’s a step in the right direction.’’
She said the news was completely unexpected.
‘‘When my husband and I started the petition we did it without any expectation at all. We just thought we would try and fight for justice.
‘‘We weren’t expecting to get as much support as we have from everyone. This is just amazing.’’
After Nathan’s death, Le Roux posted a distasteful Halloween photo on Instagram of her wearing an orange prison jumpsuit with the caption reading: ‘‘Hide your children’’.
Dr Bill Hodge, of the University of Auckland’s law faculty, said the ‘‘evil, ugly’’ Instagram photo was reason for prosecutors to give careful consideration to an appeal.
However, criminal lawyer Steve Cullen told RNZ the sentence met legal requirements.
‘‘It is within the parameters of what normally is applied in this kind of case,’’ he said. — NZME