A young Whangarei woman who used a kitchen knife to stab her boyfriend - who later died while shopping - has been sentenced to three years and two months in jail for manslaughter.
Shaylene Wharerau, 22, was in August found guilty by a jury of manslaughter and appeared for sentencing in the High Court at Whangarei today.
Wharerau stabbed Brandon Panapa Ripia, 17, during a dispute at an Onerahi house on October 30, 2012. He died three weeks later while shopping at The Warehouse in Whangarei after a wound to his heart re-opened and bled.
In court today, Justice John Faire declined a plea by her lawyer Arthur Fairley to consider home detention if a sentence of two years or less was arrived at by the judge.
Crown prosecutor Bernadette O'Connor argued against a non-custodial sentence even if a short prison term was reached.
Justice Faire said he didn't consider Wharerau's action was either premeditated or intended to harm Mr Ripia when she picked up the weapon.
The public gallery was packed with whanau members of both Wharerau and Mr Ripia, some of whom read their victim impact statements.
Wharerau was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
