New Zealand Court Gives Probation to Man With Violent History Who Broke Into Home of Mother and Chased Her Down the Street

This is something out of Clockwork Orange. Burt Te Manu Tangiata Rikihana, 27, was arrested in December after he forced his way into a home of a woman with a three-year-old child. He chased the mother down the street as she screamed. Despite a previous attempted murder conviction, the court gave him probation and community service which Rikihana correctly called “a joke.”

In February 2002, Rikihana was sentenced to nine years’ jail for attempted murder after he stabbed Paul Robertshaw, 15, as he lay sleeping in bed.

The New Zealand Judge Susan Thomas, however, merely noted that Rikihana had “an unfortunate history.” An unfortunate history? We call it recidivism or habitual offending or at least shocking. She gave Rikihana 24 months’ intensive supervision and 200 hours’ community service on burglary and assault charges.

By the way, Rikihana stabbed the boy with such force that the knife came out his back.

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