Wednesday 15th Dec 1999
Stephen Franks
Media Release -- Justice

An Amendment to the Criminal Justice Act put up by the ACT Party and passed by Parliament in July has today allowed the killer of Reporoa woman, Beverly Bouma, to be jailed for a minimum non-parole period of 13 years.

ACT MP Stephen Franks today said he was proud that ACT's Patricia Schnauer put up the amendment to the National Government's Home Invasion Bill. It ensured that the minimum non-parole period for murder in the context of a home invasion was increased from 10 years to 13 years.

Justice Salmon has today ruled at the High Court in Auckland that the law change can be applied to the sentencing of David Pomako who pleaded guilty to murdering Beverly Bouma in her Reporoa home last November.

"The amendment was part of ACT's ongoing campaign for tougher sentencing. The sentence handed down today is only a start toward ensuring that the rights of law-abiding citizens to be protected are put above the expectation of offenders to be released early.

"New Zealanders are overwhelmingly in favour of tougher sentencing. ACT will pursue Truth in Sentencing to lead the fight in this Parliament to make sure criminals do their time. ACT will not stand by while the Minister of Corrections, Matt Robson, tries to sideline the clear wishes of New Zealanders expressed in the referendum," said Stephen Franks.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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