"I'm sorry," Wanaka chef Ahu Stanley Taylor said to his victim's family as he was led away to begin a prison sentence of 10 years and eight months for attempting to murder Wanaka father of two Kahu Vincent.
But Jodi Stevenson, whose daughter Jade is Mr Vincent's partner, said after the sentencing in the High Court at Invercargill today, "time would tell" whether Taylor really was sorry.
"Sorry is something that can be easily said, but his future actions will prove whether he is sorry or not.
"He might well be, I don't know. But if he gets out and does the same thing again I'm worried for our community. Wanaka is a safe little town generally. I'm worried for whatever town he turns up in.''
Taylor (38) and his co-offender, Leon Rowles (34), beat Wanaka father of two Mr Vincent so severely during a prolonged, unprovoked attack in the Wanaka Night 'n Day store on May 9 last year that Mr Vincent nearly died.
He suffered such major brain injuries he had to learn to walk, talk and eat again and still cannot drive, work more
than one hour a day or look after his children by himself.
Mrs Stevenson, supported in court by her son Joram, said her daughter was too anxious to attend the sentencing and Mr Vincent had been unable to travel since the assault.
During the sentencing Mrs Stevenson read a powerful victim impact statement on behalf of her daughter outlining the consequences of the assault on Mr Vincent, herself, their children, now aged 2 and 5, and other family members.
She looked directly at Taylor as she read her own victim impact report.
She said one year on, the whole family was still paying.
"There is not a day goes by when we don't wish we could wind the clock back... I hope you think about what
you've done and why. It wasn't necessary. I hope you've changed before you get out [of prison]."
Rowles pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. Taylor also pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm but denied the attempted murder charge saying he had no intention of killing Mr Vincent. However, a jury found him guilty of the more serious charge after a trial in Invercargill in February.
Sentencing Taylor, Justice Nicholas Davidson said Taylor and Rowles "treated Mr Vincent as if he was of no worth at all and his life was of no worth either".
While both men had participated in the attack, CCTV footage showed Taylor had intensified his attack after Mr
Vincent lay unconscious on the floor, using a shelf to support himself and stomping on Mr Vincent's head more than 20 times with one or both feet.
Of greatest concern was that while Taylor had expressed remorse for his actions and had written a letter to the
court saying he was "bitterly disappointed in himself", he still did not know why he had assaulted Mr Vincent.
"I hope you will take steps to find out why you behaved this way, and do something about it," Justice Nicholson
said.
He imposed a minimum sentence of five years' imprisonment.
