Inmate says he should serve full sentence for bar choking
A DEMOLITION worker who choked a man to death in a Dunedin bar toilet says he deserves to serve his whole fiveyear prison sentence.
The Parole Board agreed. Stephen Anthony Fernyhough (30) was jailed for the manslaughter of 35yearold Ryan Court after strangling him for 20 to 40 seconds following an argument in the men’s bathroom of an Octagon bar.
Fernyhough, the court heard at sentencing in 2014, fled the bar with friends after saying ‘‘Don’t mess with the wee man’’.
Police picked him up later the same night when he was involved in an altercation outside another pub.
Fernyhough came before the Parole Board for the final time last month as his stay at Rolleston Prison came to an end.
He immediately acknowledged he had no address where he could serve parole and would inevitably be released at his sentence expiry on April 27.
The board heard from family of Mr Court beforehand.
‘‘The victims felt that he needs to serve all of his sentence, that they do not wish him to enter the city of Dunedin and that they have no confidence that he will not reoffend,’’ panel convener Martha Coleman said.
‘‘In response, Mr Fernyhough said that he also felt that he should serve his whole sentence for what he had done.’’
The prisoner was adamant he would stay away from Dunedin.
Fernyhough told the board he did not want to cause ‘‘more heartache or pain’’ for the victim’s family.
However, he objected to being electronically monitored and told the board he did not want to undertake more treatment once out of prison.
‘‘The reason for not wanting to be subject to an electronically monitored curfew is that it may be an impediment to him gaining employment,’’ Ms Coleman said.
‘‘He considers that he has done enough by way of the programmes in prison and that what he considers will keep him from reoffending is employment.’’
However, the board said Fernyhough, who had more than 70 convictions to his name, had a range of ‘‘complex’’ needs and that alcohol and drug counselling was warranted.
Conditions, which will run for six months, included:
Not to possess alcohol or drugs.
To live at an address approved by Probation.
To abide by a 10pm6am curfew for the first two months of release.
To attend psychological, drug and alcohol assessments and any related treatment.
Not to contact any victim of previous offending.
Not to enter Dunedin.