Brothers sentenced

Press, 31 October 1981, Page 6

Brothers sentenced

PA Wellington . Two brothers were sentenced in the High Court at Wellington yesterday for a shooting incident outside a Wellington tavern. Both had pleaded guilty to two charges of discharging a shotgun with reckless disregard for the safety of others, and of unlawful possession of a pistol. Bert Manukuru Hiku, aged 19, a scrubcutter, was sentenced to 18 months jail and Danny Ranui Hiku, aged 23, a cablelayer, was sentenced to six months periodic detention.

Mr Justice Savage said that the pair had been involved in a brawl in the tavern during which Bert Hiku had been hit on the

head and knocked unconscious, and then kicked.

They went away and returned with a sawn-off shotgun and pistol. As they drove past the tavern they fired from five metres away at a group of people t standing near the door. His Honour said that noone had been hit, but what the accused had done was potentially dangerous, although he accepted there had been provocation and that Bert Hiku had had too much to drink.

Bert Hiku had 20 previous convictions, including assault and obstructing the police, but Danny Hiku’s record was not as bad and his Honour said he would be given the benefit of the doubt about his part in the offences, because he was the driver of the car.