Media Release

For Immediate Release
22 September 2009

MCDONALD SENTENCING ‘ONE STEP CLOSER TO CLOSURE’

Today’s sentencing of Stephen McDonald for the armed, P-fuelled rampage that led to the accidental killing of Halatau Naitoko on Auckland’s motorway brings those involved one step closer to closure, Police Association President Greg O’Connor said today.

“The tragic death of Mr Naitoko, a young man with a promising future, has been incredibly hard on all those involved – not just the family, but also the police involved, who were trying to protect innocent members of the public from the gunman’s rampage,” Mr O’Connor said.

“The sentence today can’t change the tragic outcome of the day’s events, but it is an appropriate sentence which sheets home responsibility to the man who was ultimately responsible for the death. We can only hope it brings us one step closer to closure.”

Mr O’Connor noted that the Coroner and IPCA had yet to complete their inquiries into Mr Naitoko’s death.

“Police have already investigated the death as a homicide, conducting considerable inquiries and interviewing witnesses at length. The conclusion of that investigation was that there was no criminality in the actions of police officers. That conclusion has been reviewed by John Haigh, QC, and found to be appropriate.

“Police were responding to a dangerous and unpredictable armed offender, loaded on methamphetamine, who was threatening the lives of others. The public can run away from situations like that – police have to run towards the danger. They believed they had to act to protect the public. The outcome was a tragic accident, but the ultimate responsibility lies with Mr McDonald, and today’s sentencing goes some way towards reflecting that,” Mr O’Connor said.

Due to the ongoing inquiries into the circumstances around the death of Mr Naitoko, no further comment will be made at this time.

ENDS

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