For immediate release:
Armed robber becomes eight “second striker”
A Rotorua man who robbed two men while armed with a knife has become the eight person to receive a second “strike” - and
a final warning – under New Zealand’s “three strikes” law. If Tama Turei Brown commits another armed robbery on release
from prison he will go to jail for 14 years, with no parole.
“The law is working exactly as it was intended, and just as we said it would” says SST National spokesman Garth McVicar.
“It is catching the recidivist violent criminals it was designed to catch, and not affecting the minor criminal. We have
always strongly supported measures to deflect those guys from the path that leads to “strike” offending. But for the
really bad criminals, the proper place for them is jail, and “three strikes” is protecting the public by putting them
there” says McVicar.
“It is also very pleasing to see the Judiciary embracing the law and not trying to avoid it, as some of our opponents
predicted would happen. A couple of weeks ago the Court of Appeal affirmed another second striker’s conviction and
sentence”
“In the latest case, the Judge gave Brown a very clear warning and told him he would serve the maximum sentence if he
was convicted again for a serious violent offence. The warning system is a very important part of our “three strikes”
law, and one of the many things which distinguish it from the law in California” said McVicar.
“David Garrett and Sensible Sentencing were determined to draft a law which was fair and just, and made criminals fully
aware of the consequences of their continued offending. That is what our law does, and we are very proud of it”
ends