Former Mongrel Mob president jailed

The former president of the Invercargill Mongrel Mob chapter has been jailed for his part in a gangmotivated group attack.

Pihama John Tauroa, 45, was sentenced to six years and nine months’ jail, and will serve a minimum of three years and five months after pleading guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm in Invercargill on February 16, 2018.

Justice Gerald Nation, in the High Court at Invercargill, said Tauroa had to accept responsibility as chapter president.

‘‘The fact you did not wield the knife does not lower your culpability,’’ Justice Nation said.

The summary of facts says that on February 16, 2018, at the corner of Ythan and Janet streets in Invercargill, three cars pulled up to Phillip O’Brien as he walked with three others, before about 10 Mongrel Mob associates got out of the cars and seriously assaulted

O’Brien in an unprovoked attack.

He suffered five stab wounds to the lower back, was kicked and punched and admitted to hospital with ‘‘potentially life-threatening’’ injuries, the summary of facts says.

O’Brien was wearing a Mangu Kaha (splinter group of Black Power) shirt, but was not a member, Justice Nation said.

O’Brien’s mother read her victim impact statement in court, repeatedly looking at Tauroa. ‘‘How do you sleep at night?’’ she said. ‘‘He [O’Brien] is always looking over his shoulder. I have lost faith in human nature in critical ways.’’

Crown prosecutor Sarah McKenzie said the attack was premeditated, gang warfare involving weapons and extreme violence and warranted a starting point sentence of 10 years.

Defence lawyer Sarah Saunderson-Warner filed character references from Tauroa’s employer and rugby league club as well as a cultural report.

The cultural report did not excuse Tauroa’s actions, but outlined his background as the son of a patched Mongrel Mob member, who witnessed violence and formed an allegiance to gang culture at a young age, Saunderson-Warner said.

Tauroa had been isolated from Ma¯ori culture and differentiated between his gang and family lives, she said.

Justice Nation said: ‘‘it matters little whether you were at the scene or materially assisted in organising it [attack] and making it happen’’.

The cultural report stated

Tauroa did not want his children to become gang members, the judge said.

Positive references from an employer and rugby club showed Tauroa was capable of making a positive contribution, Justice Nation said.

After adopting a starting point of 10 years in jail, Justice Nation allowed discounts for personal mitigating factors and Tauroa’s guilty plea, 21 months after the incident.

A man co-accused with Tauroa will be sentenced on May 6.

‘‘How do you sleep at night? He [O’Brien] is always looking over his shoulder. I have lost faith in human nature in critical ways.’’ victim Phillip O’Brien’s mother