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Little Esme Kinraid - Killed at the hands of her Father

2nd November 2018

If this is the pathetic sentence child killers get in New Zealand it is no wonder our once safe country now has such a high level of child abuse – there are no consequences.” Garth McVicar, founder of the Sensible Sentencing Trust.

Esme Claire Kinraid was killed at the hands of her father Phillip Murray Kinraid on June 26, 2015.

Kinraid could not settle his little girl, so he held her down. Restraining Esme, he then forced her face into a pillow. He left her like this, face down and walked away. She was quiet, still and alone. Hours later Kinraid checked on Esme, only to find she was no longer moving. Attempts to resuscitate her were pointless, she was dead. This little girl’s life stolen by the one man responsible for protecting her.

During his trial the Crown Prosecutor Justin Marinovich said “Esme’s last minutes must have been lived out while experiencing true horror”.

Kinraid pleaded guilty to manslaughter. A murder charge was laid against him, but a pre-trial hearing established evidence the Police had against Kinraid was inadmissible.

Esme's ‘accidental’ death meant her father was sentenced to four years and three months in prison. He was eligible for parole after serving a mere 17 months and after serving just that mere amount of time he is to be released; that’s all little Esme’s life meant to our Justice system!

Yesterday, it was confirmed that Kinraid will be released from Prison this month. The Parole Board wrote “Weighing up all factors we have reached the conclusion that Mr Kinraid meets the statutory criteria for release on parole as he would not pose an undue risk to the safety of any person or the community generally, provided he faithfully complies with the conditions of parole.”

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This was a deliberate act of violence inflicted against a defenceless child that took her young life, and her killer gets to spend just 17 months of his life behind bars? He even tried to appeal the sentence, but at least the appeal was dismissed!

Garth commented “Where is his remorse, his accountability, where are the consequences for his heinous actions? An unbelievable and disgraceful sentence, only to be compounded by the Parole Board’s decision to release him after such a short time. Just incomprehensible!”

“Phillip Kinraid stole his daughter’s life. It was his hands that pushed her little face into that pillow. He is to be released this month and will have the freedom to live the life he chooses. What choice did little Esme have?”

And this Government want to reduce consequences even further! These people who run OUR Country are completely out of touch with reality.

The system has failed to protect one of our most innocent and most vulnerable of victims. It is a travesty of justice for this wee soul. How little value a child’s life is worth in New Zealand.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/108268443/man-who-killed-daughter-granted-parole-at-first-opportunity?cid=facebook.post.108268443

ends


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