R v Findlay

Steven Findlay was sentenced by the High Court of New Zealand in Dunedin after pleading guilty to the murder of Sharon Comerford. The case involved a long history of conflict between Findlay and Comerford, exacerbated by alcohol and culminating in a violent attack that resulted in Comerford's death. The court was required to decide whether section 104 of the Sentencing Act 2002 applied, which mandates a 17-year minimum imprisonment for murders with aggravating features, and whether a life sentence would be manifestly unjust.

The court found that section 104 applied due to the high level of brutality in the attack, which included multiple injuries inflicted on Comerford while she was likely unconscious. However, the court also considered mitigating factors such as Findlay's guilty plea, his inability to remember the events due to self-inflicted injuries, and the significant level of provocation he experienced from Comerford. The court concluded that the combination of these factors made a 17-year minimum imprisonment manifestly unjust, and thus sentenced Findlay to life imprisonment with an 11-year minimum period before parole eligibility.