Review of murderer’s sentence

A man who murdered a Christchurch woman while he was in the midst of a psychotic episode will be resentenced after the Crown appealed.

Kaine Van Hemert was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment after he killed Bella Te Pania in the early hours of December 31, 2019, during a serious downward mental health spiral.

During sentencing, Justice Jan-Marie Doogue ordered that Van Hemert serve a minimum of six years and eight months in jail.

It was unusual for a convicted murderer to be given a sentence less than life imprisonment – but this was not a usual case.

At the time, Justice Doogue said it would be manifestly unjust to sentence Van Hemert to life imprisonment because of the extent of the psychiatric illness he was suffering at the time of the murder.

The solicitor-general made a successful application to appeal Van Hemert’s conviction in the Court of Appeal. The grounds for the application have been suppressed by the court. Van Hemert picked up Te Pania, 34, in Manchester St, where she was working as a sex worker on the night of December 30.

About 6.50am the following day, Te Pania was found critically injured on Orchard Rd in Christchurch. Among her many injuries, she had 12 stab wounds to her face, seven stab wounds to her chest and deep cut wounds to her throat.

Van Hemert later admitted to police he had stabbed her multiple times. He claimed Te Pania tried to strike him with a weapon and he ‘‘freaked out’’, pulled out a large knife and retaliated.