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Offender Database Andrew Poki

Andrew Andre Poki

Alias

.

Offences

Grevious Bodily Harm of waiter Stephen Byrne in March of 2000 in Auckland Central

Victims

Stephen Byrne

Offender Affiliations

Phillip Taylor

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1980

Current Location

At large

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to ten years in December 2000
Due for "final release" November 2006

Background
Herald story here
Also from the excellent GayNZ.com hate crime archives
The Queen v Andrew Andre Poki and Philip James Taylor, 24 March 2000, (heard November/December 2000, Auckland High Court): Poki and Taylor claimed that Stephen Byrne tried to kiss them. They assaulted him driving him head first into a wall in Fort Lane, Auckland, smashed his head into the ground and stomped on him. Byrne was found unconscious in a pool of blood. Part of his brain had to be removed as a result of the assault, and cannot remember anything that occurred after he left work at Cin Cin restaurant. As a result of the operation, he has little short-term memory.

Like Smith and Meads, Poki and Taylor each blamed the other for the assault. Poki and Taylor were both acquitted by the jury of an attempted murder charge, but Taylor had already plead guilty to assault and grievous bodily harm. Poki was found guilty of the grievous bodily harm and aggravated robbery. Taylor was sentenced to 7* years jail, reduced due to his early guilty plea, and Poki to 10 years jail. Justice Nicolson stated, "I am satisfied on the evidence that this was indeed a senseless hate crime". Detective Sergeant Kevin Hooper, investigating the case, said this was one of the worst attacks he had seen. Counsel for Poki was Chris Comesky, counsel for Taylor was Steve Cullen, Crown Prosecutor was Brian Dickie.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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