Elderly living in ‘state of siege’
Reverberations from the fatal attack on a 90-year-old woman in her home are continuing, as an advocacy organisation for older people says some are living in a ‘‘state of siege’’.
Three teens who admitted the manslaughter of Grace Virtue, one aged 14 and two 15 at the time of the crime in November 2019, were sentenced in March.
Two were ordered to serve 12 months’ home detention, while another was jailed for 21⁄ years. She is eligible for parole in July, having served a third of her sentence, which Grey Power Horowhenua president Terry Hemmingsen said was horrifying.
Virtue died of a brain injury 25 days after the home invasion of her Levin property, which the girls, who have name suppression, had cased as they hatched their robbery plans.
Virtue was punched in the face. She fell and hit her head. When on the ground, she was kicked in the chest. Two of the teens entered the house, on the pretence of wanting to use the toilet. The third waited outside.
Hemmingsen said since the horrific crime Grey Power was advising older people to take precautions, such as always being near a phone, installing security screens on doors and not letting anyone inside their homes.
‘‘Too many of us live in a state of siege,’’ he said. ‘‘The sad thing is that Grace, at 90, and people of her era grew up in a society where you let people inside your house.
‘‘You didn’t lock your doors. You didn’t lock your cars. You didn’t lock your windows at night.’’
Grey Power was concerned about the sentences and Hemmingsen said all three girls should have gone to jail, as the Crown argued. ‘‘Very clearly they are a danger in our community.
‘‘What we know is there’s no justice for the victim or the victim’s family. In this case it’s profound.’’
Hemmingsen asked what such sentences would say to others thinking of committing similar crimes.
Sentences of two years or less of prison can be changed to home detention.
Sensible Sentencing Trust coleader Darroch Ball said the sentences were pathetic considering the brutal and callous nature of the crime.
‘‘What’s missing here is any sense of justice and accountability.’’
Ball said the trust would like to see sentencing weighted less towards considering an offender and more towards victims, their families and the community.