The decision by the Court of Appeal to reduce the minimum sentence of convicted police killer Carlos Namana, from 18 years to 16, has been roundly criticised by New Zealand First spokesman on Law and Order Ron Mark, as “one of the most incomprehensible acts of stupidity displayed by senior Judges in a long while”.

“One can only speculate as to just what it is that encourages Judges to act in a manner, so far removed from the thinking of mainstream society, he said.

This villain, who so callously, viciously and determinedly killed Constable Murray Stretch in May of 1999, did so not to be rewarded for his bravery or for admitting the crime some time later, but because he set out to deliberately kill a Police Officer.

That Judges of the Court of Appeal in New Zealand can now find that act so remarkable that it is deserving of some form of reward, is bizarre and a totally ‘off the wall’ action, reminiscent of someone so out of touch, as to not be deserving of my support or respect, said Mr Mark.

“Convention demands, that politicians not criticise Judges who are allegedly the only ones who have all the relevant information necessary for making such weighty decisions. In this instance, I would be seriously failing in my duty as a politician, were I not to raise this issue and alert the hundreds of thousands of good people to this absurd decision, so wildly out of step with the thinking of every decent New Zealander,” he said.

“The recent release of a survey, showing that one in three New Zealanders do not feel safe or secure in or around Court buildings, is more likely to be as a result of the fear of off beat decisions by out of touch Judges than anything else, given this inexplicable action,” concluded Mr Mark.

ENDS.

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