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Offender Databases Vaughn Bennet

Vaughn Bennet

Alias

.

Offences

Manslaughter of a 17 year old Timaru youth in January 2003, by means of a methadone overdose
Numerous prior convictions, none for violence

Victims

Joshua Robinson

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1961

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 10 years with a 6 year minimum non-parole period in November 2003
Unsuccessfully appealed sentence and conviction in September 2004
Due for early release November 2009

Background
NZ Herald story here
Supreme Court decision here (PDF)
From TV One news story Sep 23, 2004
A Timaru man who gave a 17-year-old boy a lethal dose of methadone has lost his appeal against conviction and a ten year prison sentence. Vaughn Bennet, who denied administering the drug, was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to serve a minimum period of six years.

Bennet took his case to the Court of Appeal arguing that the sentence was excessive and that his trial lawyer had failed to follow instructions. Rejecting the appeal the court said Bennet had given drugs to a naive user who was also a troubled teenager. The offending was aggravated by Bennet's failure to get medical help for the victim.

Additional data sourced from the registrars of the Timaru High Court

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Corrections and Additional Information
We endeavour to make this database as accurate as possible, but we are at the mercy of whatever information we can find in various online and offline archives. We rely on the public - that is, people like you - to fill in the gaps that we cannot. If you wish to submit additional information or a correction to this file CLICK HERE . Privacy: Trust policy is that all sources are treated as strictly confidential unless we are explicitly told otherwise. If you wish to see a file removed from this database certain conditions must be met by the offender set out HERE Note that this does NOT apply for those that are the primary offender in a murder, rape, or any sexual offending involving minors. We do not enter into correspondence regarding the guilt/innocence of offenders. Such correspondence is not responded to, especially if the offender concerned has a number of prior convictions

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