Judge jails Lake Tukaki-Kiwara for three years for attacking Hamilton liquor store

Meanwhile, Tukaki-Kiwara threw a bottle at the victim and hit him in the face as the victim’s partner closed the security roller door.

The group managed to open the door and fled, but the fourth perpetrator still struggled with the victim and hit him on the hand with the knife.

He fell to the ground, but pulled the perpetrator down with him. His accomplices, including Tukaki-Kiwara, ran back inside to get their colleague and started kicking and hitting the victim on the ground to make him go.

They eventually fled empty-handed.

‘I want to forget it all’

In his victim impact statement read to the court during Tukaki-Kiwara’s sentencing, the victim said the incident had affected him greatly.

“I have a large laceration in my hand and head. I had to undergo surgery, get stitches and stay in hospital for three days.”

He then spent the next three months attending visits to his GP, who told him he was “very lucky”.

He was unable to work for three months and was now given medication for his nerves.

“I’m still very scared of people when I see people wearing hoodies… I don’t trust anyone.”

He lost the relationship with his partner because, according to her, his personality changed.

“It’s been almost a year now and I still feel uncomfortable. I want to forget it all.”

Counsel Jessica Tarrant said Tukaki-Kiwara had been offered employment since taking part in rehabilitation courses.

She pushed for discounts because of his guilty plea, time on electronically monitored bail and his young age. He was 17 at the time, but has now turned 18.

Crown attorney Kasey Dillon said the attack – classified as an aggravated burglary because nothing was stolen – was planned and premeditated and the impact on the victim was significant.

Tukaki-Kiwara was also responsible for throwing a bottle of alcohol at the victim’s face, leaving him with scratches.

Judge Noel Cocurullo said those involved had been “offended in a very serious way”.

“The violence extends to weapons that seriously injure the occupier,” he said.

Judge Cocurullo assumed a five-year prison sentence and agreed to grant discounts on his guilty plea, his youth and time spent on electronically monitored bail.

He jailed Tukaki-Kiwara for three years and four months and disqualified him from driving for 12 months on two charges of converting a motor vehicle.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has been with NZME for nine years and has been a journalist for 20 years.