We’ve been waiting a while for this gem, but the Supreme Court has published the sentencing of Mathew James Massey and Fakatounaulupe Ngata. (Mathew is known in some circles as “snorkel” after an attempt to make like Gary Cooper and evade police using a snorkel made out of a reed).
The standover tactics of Mr Ngata make for a fascinating read all of its own, but it’s gold when it comes to Mr Massey (yes of the infamous crime clan).
Mathew Massey, you have a very significant criminal history. That history extends from when you were 14 years of age until you were most recently dealt with by Magistrate Campbell on 10 November 2010. You have, on my calculation, been convicted of nearly 50 prior criminal offences, including serious offences such as armed robbery, escaping custody, assaulting police, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and trafficking in drugs. You have served significant terms of imprisonment. In fact, at the time that you committed the offences now before this Court, you were on parole. There is little by way of leniency that this Court can show you based on that prior history
And yet he will be eligible for parole on the 13th day of this month.
[Photo by TooFarNorth CC BY]