Martial artist receives life in prison...

Man gets life sentence for killing 12-year-old stepdaughter

April 14, 2003

A Hamilton man who kicked his 12-year-old stepdaughter to death has been sentenced to life imprisonment with 17 years non parole. A High Court last month convicted Darran Paul Mackness, 35, of the murder of Kelly Paula Gush.

Kelly died in Auckland’s Starship Hospital on August 4 after suffering brain injuries inflicted by Mackness when he kicked her twice to the head.

The girl, only 1.5m tall and weighing 26kg, had endured a sad life with her sister, 14-year-old Kylie, spending most of her time at home locked in her spartan bedroom. The girls’ mother, Mackness’ former partner Karen Paget, told a depositions hearing in January that the girls’ room was locked from the outside and Mackness had nailed the windows shut. When the girls needed to use the bathroom they knocked on the door, or at night they were left a bucket.

Crown prosecutor Philip Crayton said Mackness, who had martial arts training, kicked Kelly in a fit of anger on August 3 last year after she vomited up her dinner.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnewsstory.cfm?storyID=3401036&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

Oh man. . .that is just wrong. . .what else needs to be said?

Sifu Emin - Did you see that?
Me - (gasping) No, but I can’t breathe yet.

I hope he enjoys being a little girl in prison.

Sad.

Terrible.

==
PFCBas:He always,when he sits down and watches TV,puts his hand,actually both hands,in his pantsProf:It’s a very comfortable position actuallyBas:I never tried itProf:ahem,no comment

Additional info on News coverage-

Child’s killer to spend at least 17 years in prison

14.04.2003

Darran Mackness will spend a minimum of 17 years in jail for the murder of his 12-year-old stepdaughter. The 35-year-old Hamilton beneficiary was sentenced to life imprisonment late last month after a High Court jury took just two hours to find him guilty of murdering Kelly Gush.

Today, in the same court, Justice Geoffrey Venning told Mackness his actions required “strong denunciation” as he handed down a minimum non-parole period of 17 years. The judge found that Kelly’s young age made her a particularly vulnerable victim who was dominated and controlled by her stepfather.

On the evening of August 3 last year, Mackness kicked Kelly in the head, using a martial arts-type move, after she vomited during dinner. She was then locked in her bedroom, where she was found several hours later convulsing on the floor. She died in Auckland’s Starship children’s hospital the next day of head injuries. Justice Venning said it was “hard to imagine” what Kelly’s last few conscious hours would have been like, lying injured on her bedroom floor.

"It’s always tragic when a child is killed, but Kelly’s few final hours must have been particularly sad. “She was upset, sick and alone.” Mackness, dressed in a white shirt and grey suit jacket, showed little emotion during the sentence, which was handed down under the new Sentencing Act 2002. Since the act came into force last June, the highest non-parole sentence handed down is 33 years to William Bell, convicted in February for killing three people at the Mt Wellington-Panmure RSA.

Last December, Bruce Thomas Howse was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum parole period of 28 years, for the murder of his two young stepdaughters in 2001. Mackness’ lawyer, David Wilson, QC, refused to comment on whether he would appeal the 17-year non-parole period.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3401108&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

Kungfoolss, Scourge of the theory-based stylists, Most Feared man at Mcdojo.com, creator of the Kungfoolss Darwinian Awards, and the Preeminent Force in the martial arts political arena

http://forums.delphiforums.com/testing12345703/start