New Zealand Case Law: Decisions & Judgments | LexChat

New Zealand Case Law

Strangulation offence (s 189a)
  • 7 Jul 2022

    SHRAMKA v R [2022] NZCA 299

    Citation
    [2022] 3 NZLR 348
    Court
    Court of Appeal

    For sentencing under s 189A courts must identify and qualitatively assess specific aggravating factors for strangulation rather than mechanically count factors; the Court provides reference starting points (worst class ~5.5–6 years, moderate ~3 years, lower ~2 years) and applies that framework to hold the appropriate starting point in this case was 36 months, uplifted for breaches and prior convictions to 48 months then discounted for personal mitigation and EM‑bail credit to a final sentence of 27 months; the sentence was not manifestly excessive and the appeal is dismissed.