Harlick’s sister tells killer: I want you to suffer
Family of victim speaks out as Hohua is handed life sentence for brutal murder
The daughter of Marie Harlick wakes up every night screaming. Harlick’s sister still calls just to hear her voice on the answer phone. Her mother can’t sleep and cries at the urupa where she’s buried. Her brother is broken-hearted at the thought she will never meet his future children.
Yesterday Harlick’s family faced Robert Roupere Hohua — the man who stomped, punched and kicked her to death — and told him what he had taken away from them.
Hohua, 36, will serve at least 17 years of a life sentence in prison after being convicted of murdering Harlick.
Even if eventually released by the Parole Board, Hohua will be subject to parole conditions for the rest of his life.
In sentencing Hohua in the High Court at Tauranga, Justice Anne Hinton said his actions had caused profound harm and loss.
She handed him a 17-year nonparole period because of the high level of brutality and callousness of the 20-minute assault, as well as the fact Hohua was unlawfully in Harlick’s house.
He was on bail at the time of the murder for a previous assault on Harlick and breached those conditions when he killed her.
Hohua indicated he will appeal the murder conviction.
A Herald investigation last month revealed Hohua’s lengthy criminal history — 78 previous convictions — and the fact he was released on bail, twice, for an assault on Harlick before the murder.
Before Justice Hinton sentenced Hohua, members of Harlick’s family addressed him directly through the reading of victim impact statements.
The aunt of Harlick, also called Marie Harlick, is now the legal guardian for Vivienne — the youngest daughter of Harlick, nicknamed Mush.
The toddler was just 19 months old when she watched her mother get beaten to death.
“She was an absolute mess. Vivienne was an empty little person. She couldn’t look people in the eyes,”
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“She was frightened and needed constant reassurance. If my teenagers were play fighting, she’d run away.”
Vivienne wakes up every morning around 2am, screaming for “mummy”.
“I know this is because of what Robert did to Mush and what Vivienne saw,” said Marie Harlick.
“We talk about Mush every day. I have to tell her mummy is gone. This is very difficult.
“I’ll give her a good life but I can’t replace the arms of her mother.”
Vicki Harlick, Harlick’s sister, stood silently and stared at Hohua as her partner read her victim impact statement to the court.
“Mush wanted to be a better person and mum. Rob has made my family fall apart because of what he did. Murder her.
“I struggle every day waiting for a phone call, or text message. I still ring her phone to hear her voice on the answer phone.
“I feel guilty, I hate you Rob, I want you to suffer the way I do. I hope you get a life sentence like the one you’ve given us.”
Statements from her uncle Sidney Ranapia, her mother Hapuiti Allen, and brother Judd Allen described the loss of Marie as a “kick in the guts”, giving them nightmares and stress.
Now Hohua has been sentenced, the Herald can reveal the Mongrel Mob enforcer considered pleading guilty to murder before his trial.
The sentence for murder must be life, except for the most unusual of cases, and the minimum period before applying for parole is 10 years. However, the minimum time can be increased to 17 years if a case meets the threshold. Watch a video report at nzherald.co.nz The sentence of Justice Hinton concurred with a previous High Court judgment. At a sentence indication hearing in August, Justice Matthew Muir ruled that if Hohua pleaded guilty to murder, the threshold was met. This was because Hohua unlawfully entered the Wellington St address — he was not allowed to be there on bail and broke a window to get in — as well as the brutality and callousness of the assault. “The fact that these needless and tragic deaths regrettably occur with all too alarming frequency in this country and often in broadly similar circumstances would in no way detract from that conclusion,” said Justice Muir.
Instead, Hohua chose to stand trial and plead not guilty to murder.
This means he missed out on a guilty plea discount at the sentencing hearing.
Hohua admitted killing Harlick, his partner of two years, at her Opotiki home in November last year.
He claimed he did not mean to kill her, so was guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. The defence was rejected by the jury.
“Fearsome” was how Crown prosecutor Aaron Perkins, QC, described the beating during the trial.
Her jaw was broken and a major artery ruptured from the stomping.
“I would describe them as injuries worse than a high-impact car crash,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Standen.
The head of the Eastern Bay of Plenty CIB said the evidence gathered by the police was “chilling”; particularly how neighbours could hear the stomping.
“The stomping was that hard ... that was the level of violence . . . it painted a picture of horrific violence against Marie.”
Standen said all available police staff were dealing with a machete attack in Opape, 15 minutes drive away, when the neighbours called 111.
“It’s a sad set of circumstances that we had two serious incidents at the same time. Whether we could have prevented Marie’s fatal injuries is just speculation,” he said.