'Daniel was the best of us': Massive impact of coward punch death, sentencing

Carolyn Robinson joined the grieving then angry crowds outside the court in New Plymouth this week, at the sentencing of Daytona Thompson for the death of Daniel Nganeko. She reports on a devastated community, determined to fight for change.

When something big happens in a relatively small place, everyone knows about it.

That was evident in New Plymouth last week, when a large crowd gathered outside the courthouse, as the man who killed Daniel Nganeko was sentenced.

His life was ended by Daytona Thompson, who delivered a "coward punch" outside a local rugby club in July.

The two men were strangers to each other, the attack was unprovoked, and Daniel never saw it coming.

He fell backwards onto concrete, fracturing his skull and sustaining catastrophic brain injuries. The 37-year-old died three days later in Auckland hospital, surrounded by whānau – including his father Te Uraura, mother Christine, and twin brother Cameron.

"Daniel was the best of us, and now he’s gone because of one man’s violence," said Te Uraura in a statement.

"For his twin, the loss is beyond words – a part of himself is gone."

When police arrested Thompson, they discovered the 22-year-old had made a video of Daniel as he lay dying on the footpath, bragging to a bystander, 'I just knocked him the fuck out'."

Daniel's father called it a "trophy video".

On the morning of sentencing this week, more than 100 people packed out the grassy reserve beside the courthouse, wearing T-shirts bearing Daniel's image and carrying signs that read "fast track coward punch laws NOW", "punches kill, no excuses" and "it could be your son next".

Among them, Jock Coulson, who had never met Daniel.

"We lost our son in 2008 in a similar event over in Spain. It brings back pretty sad memories for us," said.

Also in the crowd, was Daniel’s grandmother. “I’m nana Faye, Daniel and Cameron’s nana," she told me. "Daniel was such a lovely, lovely boy. He had so much potential. He wanted to change careers and be a secondary school teacher.

"The kids would have loved him."

All morning passing commuters slowed their cars, tooted their horns and waved; even a fire truck sounded its support, loudly.

It was all to give Daniel’s whānau a cloak of protection as they prepared to head inside to face his killer, to read their victim impact statements, and lastly, to hear how Daytona Thompson would be sentenced.

To the side of the courthouse a small group of people gathered, largely hidden behind parked cars – these were the supporters of Thompson.

Just before the Nganeko family went inside, they were briefed on where they would sit, where Thompson would be in relation to them, the distance between them, how that would change as they made their way to and from the stand and how, if they were too emotional to read their statements, someone could help.

They listened, nodding, as Daniel's mum clutched a large, framed photo of her smiling son which she took into court with her.

An hour later, a message was delivered to the crowd, that the statements had been heard, and the court would take a break before sentencing.

Supporters sought shelter as the rain came and went.

Then just under an hour later the family emerged.

Daniel’s parents and brother stood on the court steps, mum Christine still holding her son’s image, and Te Uraura picked up a megaphone. Incredibly, his first words were to thank the waiting crowd for its patience.

He then paused, before saying, "The judge has sentenced Daytona Thompson to four years, two months."

Cries of "What?" "No!" and "That's bullshit!" came from supporters, as Nganeko continued.

"Taking all the discounts [into account] for youth, personal family circumstances, trauma, his drinking problem, and it goes on...

"But mostly the judge has made his decision based on previous precedents that have been set in other cases. So, he was basing his decision on the law."

Thompson had been violent before, but had received a discharge without conviction, meaning his actions couldn’t be considered when sentencing him for Daniel’s death.

The devastated whānau is calling for a law change. "Parliament must fast-track the coward-punch legislation and fix the laws that allow violent offenders to walk free," said Te Uraura.

Standing on the steps of the courthouse he told the crowd, "I’ll be confronting politicians and asking them a simple question. Where do you stand? Do you stand with the victims and their families?

"Or do you stand with the thugs?"