Father who shot child denied parole

AUCKLAND: A South Auckland man who shot his daughter dead in the driveway of their home while playing with a firearm has been refused parole after contraband was found in his prison cell.

Amokura DanielsSanft died after she was shot in the head at her Mangere home on June 2, 2016.

In September 2017 her father Gustav Otto Sanft (27) was found guilty of manslaughter following a highprofile jury trial.

Sanft had earlier pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a pistol, a sawnoff shotgun.

The incident occurred while the family were moving from their home in Mangere to begin a new life in West Auckland.

Sanft eventually admitted to the Parole Board that he had pointed an illegal firearm at his preschooler and pulled the trigger — something he had previously denied.

Amokura, who was playing on a couch, was shot just above her left eye at close range, causing her skull to fracture as she suffered a significant and unsurvivable head wound.

Sanft was toying with the modified shotgun when it fired.

Justice Geoffrey Venning sentenced him to four years and four months in jail.

The Parole Board has seen Sanft several times since he became eligible for an early release; he has been refused parole each time.

On September 10 another hearing was held and it was revealed Sanft was facing misconduct charges in prison.

‘‘Mr Sanft completed his rehabilitation programmes two years ago and has been on a reintegration pathway,’’ panel convener Neville Trendle said.

‘‘That pathway was interrupted recently when a search of his external selfcare unit yielded three secreted telephones and other contraband.

‘‘Together with the other occupants he was regressed from the selfcare unit.’’

Prison management was to decide when and if Sanft could return to the ‘‘selfcare environment’’.

He has seven months remaining on his sentence and his statutory release date is April 30 next year.

Mr Trendle said that at this stage Sanft had no release proposal to present to the board.

In the past he had been refused parole earlier over concerns about his release plan.

The board previously told Sanft it had no confidence he would keep out of trouble if he was released.

It had also heard that when released, Sanft wanted to live with the mother of his children.

‘‘We note Mr Sanft’s partner is proposing to move northwards early next year,’’ Mr Trendle said in his decision, released yesterday.

‘‘There seems to be no impediment for their contact to resume.’’

However while Sanft was facing ‘‘potential misconduct proceedings’’ and without a release plan, he could not be granted parole.

‘‘Having regard to the progress he was making up until very recently we will however provide him with the opportunity to return to the board in three months by 20 December 2021,’’ Mr Trendle ruled.

‘‘We invite his case manager to work with Mr Sanft in the interim to further develop his release plan.’’

The board earlier stated that for Sanft to return to the home with his partner and other children, Oranga Tamariki would have to approve.

It has also been suggested that on any release a special condition should be imposed banning Sanft from having any children under 14 left in his care as a sole supervisor at any time. —