First ‘third strike’ murderer

then violent, rendering her unconscious to the point where she died from her multiple blunt force head injuries.

A post-mortem examination laid out the damage in stark detail. Her nasal bones had been driven back into her skull cavity. There were fractures of both orbital wall structures around her eyes. There were numerous fractures to the base of her skull and right temporal bone. There were bruises on her brain matter on both sides. There was bruising, abrasions and lacerations to her entire face and scalp and haemorrhaging in both eyes.

There was also bruising to her chest, torso and left shoulder. A CT scan found air in her bowel, suggesting it had been perforated.

The examination report found there was no pattern to the injuries that suggested Davis had used a weapon. They were, however, consistent with the use of fists.

The examining pathologist could not rule out the possibility that the outcome for Kerehoma may have been different, had an ambulance been called immediately.

But Davis did not call an ambulance after beating her to a pulp. Instead, he changed his clothing and walked to an associate’s house. Another associate picked him up, and it was to this man that he admitted he had killed Kerehoma. He then visited another associate and spent the remainder of the night there. He did not return home until 1.30pm on Sunday. Once there, he phoned an ambulance, telling the operator he had returned home to find his partner beaten.

When ambulance staff arrived, it was clear Kerehoma had been dead for hours.

An examination of Kerehoma’s phone revealed that after her last message was sent just before midnight, her former partner had texted her at 12.08am, 12.15am and at 12.31am – all with no response.

A check of Davis’ phone found he began a series of phonecalls to his associates at 12.33am. He had been released from central North Island’s Rangipo Prison on August 12, 2017 after serving a two years and four and a half month sentence for aggravated robbery.

He was subject to special conditions for six months following that date.

A parole board spokesperson confirmed Davis was released at his sentence end date and was not on parole at the time he killed Kerehoma.

After the sentencing, Kerehoma’s aunt Judi Waugh said she was ‘‘extremely happy’’ with the minimum 20-year sentence.

‘‘We wanted more. We were praying for more ... but he will stuff up in jail.’’

Dozens of Kerehoma’s family were at court to hear the outcome, many adorned in speciallyprinted T-shirts bearing the inscription ‘‘Justice for Aroha’’.

Also there was Hayley Heke from the Sensible Sentencing Trust, who said Davis deserved to be ‘‘behind bars for life’’.

‘‘You know that prick smiled at everyone when he walked out? You probably missed that,’’ she said.