The man who murdered undercover police officer Sergeant Don Wilkinson has been jailed for at least fifteen years.
On June 12 a jury found John Skinner guilty of murdering Sergeant Wilkinson during a covert police operation in September 2008.
Skinner was under police surveillance as a suspected P manufacturer and shot Sergeant Wilkinson with a powerful air rifle after catching him trying to install a tracking device on his Ford Explorer.
Skinner was also found guilty of attempting to murder another officer and of assault with a firearm.
Co-accused Iain Clegg was found not guilty of murder and attempted murder but guilty of manslaughter.
In the High Court at Auckland today, Justice Geoffrey Venning sentenced Skinner to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of fifteen years for Sgt Wilkinson's murder.
Additionally he was jailed for 10 years the attempted murder of the other officer and one year for assault with a firearm, with those terms to be served concurrently.
Justice Geoffrey Venning has been exceptionally charitable to Skinner and Clegg in our always-humble opinion. This was a cold-blooded execution of a police officer in the course of his duties. Surely, this was a case when not only the book should have been thrown at Skinner, but the bookshelf as well.
We reckon that the justice sustem has failed Sgt Don Wilkinson today. We hope that the Crown is considering an appeal against the leniency of this sentence.
6 comments:
Yes, but this is the justice system in New Zealand, where the worst of criminals are excused and the Sensible Sentencing Trust gets jeered at. No one ever gets a harsh sentence in New Zealand, instead, criminals are given every excuse possible. Weak as water, as usual.
"Not long enough..."
I'll say what you really want to say IV2.
A piece of the finest hemp rope to leave him and his ilk dangling a few a few inches short of of the floor would be just long enough, in my not-so-humble opinion...
Indeed PM; or lead poisoning, administered at high velocity to the temple ...
Hemp therapy needed
9mm probably too humane, but needed for justice for us all.
Mikenz
As Boscowen says - NZ needs a real fire at will policy.
Those cops should have been carrying at least Glock 18s - and more importantly they need operational policies and the legal environment where they can fire at will.
no need for expensive leftist courts, remand, prison etc. Just the right tools for the job, and - for both cops and the public - laws that let them use those tools, and then get a bonus (and a medal) rather than paperwork, an inquiry, and a prosecution.
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