R v Tahau - [2025] NZHC 3149

5entencing of Kaytee Tahau for the murder of Saralee Moke and assaulting Renee Bevan with a weapon. At the time of the offending, Ms Tahau was living at a holiday park in Northland. Ms Tahau was being visited by her partner, Ms Bevan, from Australia; and her cousin, Ms Moke. Leading up to the night in question, there was some tension between the three and especially between Ms Tahau and Ms Bevan with Ms Tahau accusing Ms Bevan of having a thing for Ms Moke. On the night of the offending, all three had been drinking. Later that evening violence broke out during which Ms Tahau was violent towards both Ms Bevan and Ms Moke. This included hitting Ms Bevan over the head with a broken mirror from which the assault with a weapon charge arose. During the violence, there were brief periods of respite. However, during one such intermission, Ms Tahau retrieved a 30 cm knife and when another scuffle broke out between her and Ms Moke she stabbed Ms Moke twice (in the abdomen and arm through to her lung) causing her death. Ms Moke pleaded guilty to the charges on the first day of her scheduled trial on the basis of a reckless and not intentional murder. 

Here, there was no reason why a sentence of life imprisonment was inappropriate. On the basis of similar cases, a starting point of an 11-year minimum period of imprisonment was adopted. This was uplifted by one year for the assault with a weapon. It was then reduced by six months for Ms Tahau's guilty plea and a further six months for her personal circumstances. The end sentence was life imprisonment with an MPI of 11 years.