SunLive – Stabbing at Bayfair shopping centre: Teens given custody

Youth, accused of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, On Monday he appeared in Youth Court where he was sentenced.

‘It all started because of small disagreements’

It was understood that the two girls knew each other and that there was an ongoing hostility between the victim’s mother and that the stabbing incident resulted from an ongoing but minor argument between the two.

“Unfortunately, I believe this all started because of petty disagreements…” said the mother.

In May 2024, the teen saw the victim arrive at Bayfair and followed him from a distance around the mall. He then followed her into a shop, pulled out a knife and began stabbing her.

He did not stop until the people pulled him away and took control of the knife.

The girl had “four deep cuts” on her abdomen and was bleeding heavily.

The teenager ran away and hid in a car parked in the mall’s upper parking lot.

In his statement read in court, the victim said that after the stabbing, he “wondered what kind of person would do this,” had flashbacks every day, needed medication to help him sleep, and was uncomfortable being alone.

He also wouldn’t be returning to Bayfair anytime soon, knowing it would trigger his symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

It took three days after the attack for him to be able to breathe without “intense pain”.

The scars on his body always reminded him of the attack.

Horrified mother: ‘Worst feeling I’ve ever felt’

The girl’s mother said in a statement that “racing” to Bayfair “was the worst feeling I’ve ever felt in my entire life” because she feared her daughter would die or was already dead.

He arrived as his daughter was being loaded into the ambulance, but had to follow behind with his car because there was no room in the ambulance due to the number of paramedics needed.

“Not knowing what was going on there was torture. “It is indescribable.”

Her daughter was in intensive care for 3 days.

While he was trying to meet the needs of his recovering daughter and other children, the pressure on the family continued.

The single mother no longer felt safe going about her daily life and wanted all her children to sleep in the same room with her to ensure their safety.

He was “unapologetically angry,” upset and overwhelmed.

In her statement to the court, the girl’s grandmother said that she had difficulty sleeping at night.

He said his grandson’s description of the smile on the attacker’s face “will haunt me forever.” His grandson shouldn’t have had to tell him such “horrible details”.

“He should tell me about his day at school, the day he spent with his friends, and the (sports) game he just won.”

The grandmother said the attack robbed the girl of her ability to function as a normal high school student.

The teenager appeared in the Youth Court in Tauranga to be sentenced.

‘You planned, you thought, you brought a gun’

Judge Christina Cook addressed the young defendant and accepted he pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The judge referred to the Crown’s submissions, which argued that the appropriate sentence was increased supervision in a residential setting.

The teenager had been at a residence for the past six months and had not denied the charge before sentencing.

The Crown requested increased residential custody due to the severity of the violence, its impact on the victim and their family, and the risk of further violence by the teenager.

Their actions were planned and premeditated and included the repeated stabbing of the girl, but this was only stopped by public intervention.

The judge summarized it as follows: “You planned, you thought, you brought a gun.”

A report submitted to the court and referred to by the Crown stated that the teenager had little empathy for the victim and still harbored ill feelings towards him.

However, the teenager’s lawyer, Rebekah Webby, said her client had changed his attitude and turned the corner since the report was completed.

He now had real insight and came to the last family group conference with flowers and a letter of apology for the victim.

Webby challenged the Crown’s stance on control of the residence; because it had to be done somewhere away from the young man’s family, who lived in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions.

Webby and Oranga Tamariki advocated a plan consisting of control and activity order; this would include a curfew and treatment, rehabilitation and education programmes.

‘We are lucky the injuries were not more serious’

The judge agreed with the Crown that the incident was a serious and intentional offence.

Judge Cook said: “I really think it was fortunate that the injuries sustained were not more serious.”

But he also took into account the teenager’s background and personal circumstances and acknowledged that the teenager’s attitude had changed since the offending.

Judge Cook accepted that the teenager’s actions had caused pain and trauma not only to the victim’s family but also to the teenager’s family.

“But the fact that they are here today to support you is also a factor that I take into account, and you are lucky to have that support,” the judge said.

The family had offered accommodation with a whānau member outside Tauranga.

The judge decided to impose control with an activity order to be served at the whānau member’s home, as going to youth justice housing would mean the young person would “start over”.

The judge was of the view that the Oranga Tamariki plan had appropriate oversight and interventions to address the issues highlighted in the psychologist’s report.

The order placed restrictions on the teenager’s movements, including a curfew, and he could only travel to Tauranga and Mt Maunganui if accompanied by his designated carer. Under no circumstances would he enter Bayfair.

The teenager will return to court in May next year for further supervision orders and a 100-hour community work order.

This story covers youth court proceedings, which are subject to automatic legal suppression of the identities of the young people involved.