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Offender Databases Bailey Pirini

Bailey Gabriel Pirini

Alias

.

Offences

Murdered his partner with an iron rod in Kaikohe in January 2010
Had a previous history of violence

Victims

Lola Paraha

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1971

Current Location

Corrections facility

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to a minimum 12 years 6 months in April 2010
Eligible for parole July 2022

Background
NZ Herald story here
The Northern Advocate story April 23rd 2010
A two-year-old girl watched her drunk father beating his partner to death with an iron rod. In the High Court at Whangarei yesterday, Bailey Gabriel Pirini was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 12 years for murdering Lola Paraha, 47. Pirini had pleaded guilty at his fifth court appearance on March 9. After the fatal beating in a house beside the Kaikohe Police Station on January 13, Pirini went to seek police help. Lola Paraha later died in hospital.

Justice Douglas White said it was hard to imagine what impact Pirini's actions would have had on his little girl, who was placed in his care by Child, Youth and Family. Pirini and Ms Paraha were in a relationship for six months before she died. He kept his head bowed throughout the sentencing process. Justice White said the couple, with members of her family, were having afternoon drinks on January 13 and argued. Ms Paraha expressed jealousy over Pirini's interest in other women and about 8.30pm, a neighbour overhead him verbally abuse her and say, "you better watch yourself".

The neighbour later saw Pirini, accompanied by his daughter, banging on the police station's front door with the iron bar. Justice White said when approached, Pirini told his neighbour he used the iron bar on Ms Paraha because she got between him and his daughter. An ambulance was called and CPR administered but Ms Paraha had to be airlifted to Whangarei Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest. She died the next morning. Crown prosecutor Mike Smith said Pirini showed no remorse and even shifted blame on the victim, saying she provoked the attack.

"He has taken someone's life with his bare hands. This wasn't a voluntary lapse but a sustained and brutal attack," he said. Mr Smith submitted that the minimum non-parole should be between 13 and 14 years. Defence lawyer Doug Blaikie said Pirini's injuries were consistent with the fact that he was attacked first. He said there was an intention to inflict injury rather than to specifically kill her. Justice White said Pirini was of Ngapuhi descendent, born in Rawene and left school at 16. Pirini struggled to recall short-term events because of a head injury he suffered in a motorcycle accident in 1989, he said. He said Pirini's actions could not be seen as self defence and that he had a history of violent offending.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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