The family of a homeless man who was fatally assaulted in central Napier has offered forgiveness to the four men responsible for his death, urging them to use their time in prison to change their lives.
According to a report by Stuff, Boy Taylor, 58, died after being attacked on Emerson Street on December 18, 2024. Well-known throughout Napier, Taylor was remembered by many in the community following his death.
Trizarn Henare, 20, Rua Hune, 34, Tuarima Alexander, 22, and Takarangi Kumar, 19, were initially charged with murder. Although all four admitted to manslaughter at the start of their trial, the case proceeded before a jury, Stuff has reported.
Jurors viewed CCTV footage showing the group repeatedly punching, kicking and stomping on Taylor over a two-minute period, continuing the assault after he had become unconscious and unable to defend himself. A post-mortem examination found he had suffered multiple skull fractures and numerous other injuries.
Following deliberations, the jury found Henare and Kumar guilty of murder. Both men were also convicted of injuring another man earlier that evening with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Hune and Alexander were found guilty of injuring that man with intent to injure but were acquitted of Taylor's murder.
During Friday's sentencing hearing, Taylor's older sister, Catherine Spooner, delivered a moving victim impact statement on behalf of the family.
She described her younger brother as someone who was always full of humour and kindness despite living on the streets.
“Boy was always the cheeky and mischievous one, with a great sense of humour. He was such a kind man and would always help people where he could,” she told the court, as quoted by Stuff.
Remembering his character, Spooner said Taylor was respected by many people across Napier.
“I would go looking for Boy several times a week to offer him help, kai, some treats, a hot shower, to do his washing and most of all, talk to him, let him know he is loved by us all, and that he always had a home with any of us if he wanted it,” she said, as quoted by Stuff.
She explained that although the family continually supported him, Taylor had chosen to remain homeless.
Recalling the last time she saw her brother about a week before his death, Spooner became emotional.
“He said ‘Thank you my sis. You’re my favourite!’. That was the last time I saw him alive,” as quoted by Stuff.
She told the court that seeing the injuries her brother suffered and imagining his final moments continued to haunt the family.
Addressing the four men directly, Spooner spoke of the pain they had caused while also offering forgiveness. “As I speak to you today, from this place of sorrow and unbearable grief, I try to find a place in my heart to find the forgiveness for what you have all taken from me and my whānau,” Stuff has quoted.
She reminded the offenders that, unlike her family, they would one day regain their freedom.
“Whatever punishment is handed to you will have an ending at some point, when you have served your time and go to eventual freedom,” as quoted by Stuff.
“You will have the opportunity and time to re-connect with your loved ones, your whānau, your partners, your children. For my whānau, there will be no ending, no re-connection, no future time with our Boy,” as quoted by Stuff.
Spooner urged the men to use their imprisonment to reflect on their actions and rebuild their lives.
“When the time comes for you to face freedom again, I give you these few words of advice: Face your consequence with dignity and mana”.
“Spend your time away from your whānau reflecting on what you have done, the impact for the victims of this terrible act, and make the choice to turn your life around when you achieve freedom”.
“Choose to be remembered for something great, something other than being the person who took the life of a man who was deeply loved. An innocent, harmless man,” Stuff has quoted.
She concluded her statement by telling the four men: “I wish you wellness, peace and safety in your future journey. We forgive you,” she said, as quoted by Stuff.
The four men listened throughout the statement and nodded in acknowledgement when she finished.
According to Stuff, Crown prosecutor Fiona Cleary praised Spooner's words, saying the statement “brought into sharp focus the human cost of the offending”. While acknowledging the difficult backgrounds of Henare and Kumar, she argued that life imprisonment was justified by the seriousness of the crime. She submitted that Henare had initiated the attack, while Kumar had also played a leading role, and sought a minimum non-parole period of 14 years for both men. She also sought a starting point of nine years' imprisonment for Hune and Alexander.
Justice David Boldt described Spooner's statement as a powerful message of forgiveness and redemption.
He said he had sought to impose sentences that would encourage the offenders to confront the issues that led to the violence and eventually return safely to the community, as reported by Stuff.
Henare was sentenced to life imprisonment without a minimum non-parole period. Kumar received 18 years' imprisonment, also without a minimum non-parole period. Hune was jailed for seven years and two months, while Alexander was sentenced to four years and five months' imprisonment.
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