The man who choked his victim to death in the toilet of a Dunedin bar will stay behind bars for at least two more years.
Stephen Anthony Fernyhough (27) was jailed for five years last September for the manslaughter of 35-year-old Ryan Court.
Fernyhough choked Mr Court in the bathroom of Craft Bar early on April 27 last year.
He appeared before the parole board in Christchurch this week. It declined to comment on the matter yesterday, saying a formal decision was yet to be released.
Fernyhough is serving his sentence in Christchurch, where it is understood he is now classified as a low-risk prisoner.
He had more than 70 criminal convictions, including assault and robbery, before the incident that resulted in the death of Mr Court.
Fernyhough was originally charged with murder. However, the charge was later amended to manslaughter.
Mr Court died after being put in a chokehold after an initially light-hearted verbal exchange in the toilet of Craft Bar about 1.30am on April 27.
Although Mr Court was quickly unconscious, Fernyhough continued to apply the hold for between 20 and 40 seconds before letting go, the court heard at Fernyhough's sentencing last year.
He said ‘‘don't mess with the wee man'' as he left the toilet and went with friends to another bar where an incident of disorder resulted in a broken window.
Other Craft Bar patrons tried to help Mr Court as he lay unconscious the floor, his face and lips turning blue.
He could not be revived and was pronounced dead soon afterwards.
A postmortem examination found his sudden death was due to the effects of the neck hold.
The carotid arteries were compressed, causing impaired blood flow to the brain and carotid sinus stimulation, which resulted in the slowing or stopping of the heart.
It is understood Fernyhough will next appear before the parole board in December 2017.
