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Offender Databases Kaelmn Waho

Kaelmn Johnathon James Waho

Alias

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Offences

Wounding with intent to do grevious bodily harm, two of assaulting a woman, one of assault, one of threatening to cause grevious bodily harm and one of injuring with intent to injure in Nelson in March 2009
Was under "supervision" at the time for two counts of assault

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1992

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to four years in May 2009

Background
From the Nelson Mail 6th May 2009
A Nelson teen who a judge has named a killer in the making has been sent to prison for four years. Kaelmn Johnathon James Waho, 17, was sentenced in the Nelson District Court yesterday on violence charges arising from two separate occasions. "I assess you as a homicide waiting to happen unless you take up the help and assistance on offer," Judge Tony Zohrab told Waho.

Waho had previously admitted one charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, two of assaulting a woman, one of assault, one of threatening to cause grievous bodily harm and one of injuring with intent to injure. On March 13 Waho, his parents, and his 16-year-old girlfriend had gone to a bar in Nelson and on the way home he and his girlfriend had been dropped off at a park.

The girlfriend then walked home and packed some of her belongings because she had thought "something untoward" was going to happen, Judge Zohrab said. "As she was walking along another member of the public (a man) heard people yelling and saw the victim (Waho's girlfriend) walking down the road with a fazed look on her face," he said. The girlfriend was approached by the man, which Waho took exception to. Waho walked over to him, punched him in the nose and said he was going to stab him.

Judge Zohrab said the man had done nothing to provoke the attack. "He was unknown to you, and was simply offering to help your partner," the judge told Waho. Waho then went home with his girlfriend, whom he accused of flirting and sleeping with the man. When her back was turned, he hit her over the head with an empty glass bottle. Judge Zohrab said it was done with such force that nurses helped the victim pull splinters from her scalp while she was being treated in hospital.

During the attack the girlfriend thought she was knocked unconscious. She got up and Waho punched her in the face four more times, causing her to fall back on the bed each time. The girl ran from the house and was taken to Nelson Hospital by police, who had seen her while passing on patrol. She was treated for cuts and bruises to her head and lips and a swollen eye and nose. On March 3, Waho was sentenced to 12 months' intensive supervision on two counts of assault committed last December, which Judge Zohrab said yesterday was a "nasty incident of unprovoked violence".

At the time Judge David McKegg also convicted and discharged Waho on another charge of wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm. Judge Zohrab said he offences committed while Waho was on intensive supervision were "strikingly similar" to his earlier youth court cases. He said aggravating features leading to the prison sentence he imposed yesterday were the extreme violence of the attack with a weapon which led to a serious head injury, and the vulnerability of the victim.

Judge Zohrab cancelled Waho's intensive supervision sentence and converted it to part of the prison term handed out yesterday. Defence lawyer Mark Dollimore said Waho was driven by a pattern of behaviour of drunkenness and jealousy. He said the family had asked him to promote the option of home detention. "He understands this is a serious situation. He has let himself, his family and the court down because of the chances he has been given. "There is no way this can be downplayed," Mr Dollimore said.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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