'Despicable and cowardly act' - harsher sentencing law for one-punch attacks welcomed
Photo:
Instagram / Fau Vake
A charitable trust established after the death of an MMA fighter in an unprovoked attack four years ago is welcoming tougher sentencing laws for one-punch attacks.
The government has said it will legislate to ensure coward punches are
treated as a specific offence
.
Coward punches - also known as king hits - were strikes are delivered to a victim's head or neck, without warning and when the victim was unable to defend themselves.
Liufau Vake, 25, known as Fau,
died after an attack by a group of four men
outside a bar in Auckland, just before 3am on 16 May 2021.
After a series of punches from others, Vake was punched by Daniel Havili in the side of the head while he had his hands by his side. He fell and hit his head on the asphalt road.
His skull was fractured, causing brain bleeding. He had surgery, but died in hospital nine days later.
Havili was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for manslaughter.
The Walk Without Fear Trust was established by Vake's teammates after his death.
Trust board member Mike Angove told RNZ the new legislation was a step in the right direction.
"It's a major shift forward," he said.
"One of the big things about changing our attitudes towards acts like the coward's punch, remembering it used to be called a king hit, there's nothing kingly or princely about that kind of act, it's truly a despicable and cowardly act."
Part of changing the attitudes came from education, and the other part from sufficient deterrents, Angove said.
"People now have to think of the consequences for an act like that."
Angove said the announcement was gratifying.
"At least it means that Fau's death wasn't entirely in vain," he said.
"Doesn't change the fact that there's still a little girl who doesn't wake up with her father everyday, and there's still three brothers who miss their brother terribly, and there's still two sisters who are in the same boat.
"But at least we're doing something now to provide a deterrent to discourage people, and also to ensure that people who are recidivist offenders get appropriately punished, and ensure that the lethality of a coward punch is very much in the forefront of people's minds."
Angove said there needed to be a cultural change around attitudes to violence.
"That comes not just in terms of the deterrents, it also goes with the education factor as well, these two things don't work in separation, they have to work together," he said.
Trust chair Eugene Bareman said the reforms "move us closer to justice that's not just symbolic, but real".
"We've spent years talking to youth across the country, and what they need is clarity. Clear lines. Clear values. If you assault someone, if you film it like it's a joke - that's not just a mistake, that's a choice. And choices come with consequences."
The legislation is part of New Zealand First's coalition deal with National.
Speaking at the announcement, NZ First leader Winston Peters said the public supported the legislation.
"Whatever you guys think, society is massively on our side in this matter," he said.
"They want there to be serious punishment for serious offending."
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