A petition calling for harsher sentences for those who use “coward punches” has reached 15,000 signatures online.
The petition, called ‘Harsher Coward Punch laws needed in New Zealand’, was created by the Sensible Sentencing Trust in the wake of the deadly assault on promising MMA fighter Fau Vake.
“This petition is still growing in number and shows how strongly the people of New Zealand are feeling about this issue and how important it is for the Government to start listening, says Darroch Ball, co-leader of Sensible Sentencing Trust.
“We launched this petition to pressure the Government to introduce legislation that would deliver stronger sentences for these attacks.
“We have this legislation already written up and is ready to be tabled. It would see a new murder offence introduced into the Crimes Act and ensure minimum mandatory prison time is brought in for these types of offences.
“If we don’t address this issue tragic incidents like what occurred over the weekend will just continue to happen on our streets.”
Vake’s death was announced yesterday after he was assaulted in Auckland’s CBD last Sunday.
Four men – three 29-year-old’s and a 32-year-old – have been charged over the incident with further charges expected following Vake’s death. Police have not confirmed details on how Vake sustained his injuries.
However, Vake’s friends and teammates from renowned Auckland MMA gym City Kickboxing released a statement shortly after the 25-year-old’s identity as the victim of the assault was revealed, calling for the same thing the petition is.
Bareman said, ironically, MMA fighters know better than most just how much damage a punch can do. (Source: Other)
“The Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria all introduced coward punch laws in 2014,” gym founder and trainer Eugene Bareman said in the statement.
“In 2018, the New Zealand Parliament rejected a bill in its first reading to create a coward punch offence with a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.
“This means there is absolutely no deterrent in place to make people think twice about this type of attack.
“It’s sad to see Australia so far ahead of us in dealing with these evil acts. If New Zealand law doesn’t allow for a more serious penalty, we should all be pushing for it.”
Ball said the time for that push is now.
“Not only will harsher sentences act as a deterrent, but it will, more importantly, bring a sense of justice for victims and their families, hold offenders to account for their cowardly act, and make our streets safer by locking these thugs up.”
“Too often the charges are for a lower-level offence with lower-level maximum sentences, with the end sentence that is often received is just a slap on the wrist.”
“The law needs to change so we can make people think twice before they act, hold offenders to account, and bring justice for victims.”
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