Teenage killer paroled, back at school
A teenager who stabbed a west Auckland dairy worker to death has been released from a youth justice facility.
Arun Kumar, 57, died in June 2014 after being attacked by a then-14-year-old and his 12-yearold friend.
The teenager was found guilty of Kumar’s manslaughter and was jailed for six years, later reduced on appeal.
He was granted permanent name suppression during his High Court trial and was incarcerated in a youth justice facility.
The Parole Board initially declined to release the teenager’s report, but said it had reconsidered after receiving legal advice.
The report was released on May 26 and showed the teenager had made progress.
He and a friend had planned to rob the Railside Dairy in Henderson and armed themselves with a metal pole and a knife.
The teenager stabbed Kumar in the neck during the scuffle and Kumar died at the scene.
He left behind a wife and children. The younger of the two defendants was acquitted of manslaughter, while the eldest was found guilty of manslaughter, having denied a charge of murder.
In its redacted progress hearing report the Parole Board said the teenager, now aged 16, was released on parole in January this year.
He was released into the care
‘‘He is said to be polite and respectful ...’’
of Child Youth Family and was subject to special conditions to which he was said to have shown ‘‘exceptional compliance’’.
The teenager is back at school and engaging in activities.
‘‘He is said to be polite and respectful, and interacting positively with his peers. His English teacher is particularly impressed with him and says that he is writing and communicating in a very mature and developed manner.’’ He had written to the Parole Board his own submissions on his release.
The board said it didn’t need to monitor him any further given his improvements, but imposed special conditions on his release which will remain in place until June 2019.
That included attending programmes where directed, not to have drugs or alcohol, to see a psychologist, not to communicate with Kumar’s family or his coaccused.
He was allowed supervised visits with family members.