Weak Sentencing Encourages More of the Same Old Same Old
23rd November 2017
The Sensible Sentencing Trust is shocked that twenty-three-year-old Hamilton women Tiffani Jade Sutcliffe, has only
received a prison term of three years and one month for the shooting and killing of Rhys Williamson while on a drug and
alcohol binge.
“We repeatedly ask the question, are the weak short-term jail sentences handed out for some of the most serious crimes,
contributing to our escalating criminal behaviour and ballooning prison population.” Scott Guthrie Sensible Sentencing
Trust (SST) Child Abuse spokesman.
“What normal human being thinks bingeing on alcohol, drugs and participating in group sex, and then shooting someone is
an accident?” said Guthrie.
“When interviewed by police, Sutcliffe laid the blame at the door of the police, stating the victim had only died
because police took so long getting to the scene.”
“This was not a case where someone was accidently shot and died as a consequence. This was a situation where the
offender knew exactly what she was doing; she had been mixing illegal drugs and alcohol all day long and then picked up
a loaded firearm and took an innocent life.”
“Sutcliffe cannot claim that she was unaware of the dangers of consuming drugs and alcohol. She cannot claim that she
was unaware of the danger of picking up a firearm, pointing it at someone and pulling the trigger. And what does Justice
Whata give this offender? A slap with a wet bus ticket.”
“Sutcliffe was sentenced to three years and one month for taking an innocent life but as seems to now be the normal with
New Zealand’s weak justice system, there was no minimum non-parole period imposed, meaning she will be eligible for
parole after serving just one-third of her sentence.” Guthrie
Guthrie believes Justice Whata must know how wrong and weak this sentence is and once more the question needs to be
asked, are these pathetic sentences contributing to New Zealand’s escalating criminal behaviour and ballooning prison
population?
The Sensible Sentencing Trust is again calling on the Minister of Justice to review how our judicial system works and to
hold judges accountable for their decisions, just the same as every other working Kiwi is accountable in their work
place. ENDS
ends