11 Aug 2021
R v VAN HEMERT [2021] NZHC 2076
- Citation
- [2021] NZHC 2076
- Court
- High Court
Starting from a s 104 starting point of 17 years for this brutal, premeditated murder, the judge applied a 20% reduction to reflect the significant contribution of bipolar mania exacerbated by alcohol and cannabis and the defendant's lack of prior violent convictions, and allowed a two‑year guilty plea credit, resulting in an indicated minimum period of imprisonment of 11.5 years and a life sentence if the guilty plea is maintained.