R v Pineaha

In the High Court of New Zealand, the case of R v Pineaha was heard and sentenced on 18 July 2025. Terina Pineaha was sentenced for her guilty plea to the manslaughter of Emma Jane Kupa, dangerous driving, driving with excess breath alcohol, failing to stop, consuming methamphetamine, and wilful damage. The legal issues before the court included determining the appropriate starting point for sentencing, considering personal aggravating and mitigating factors, and deciding on the imposition of a minimum period of imprisonment (MPI) and a disqualification period for holding or obtaining a driver's licence.

The court set a starting point of seven years' imprisonment, taking into account the excessive speed, intoxication, and persistent bad driving as aggravating factors. The court rejected the defendant's submission for a lower starting point, considering the specific facts of the case. The court applied an uplift of three months for previous convictions and a reduction of 25 per cent for an early guilty plea, as well as a 15 per cent reduction for personal mitigating factors, resulting in a final sentence of four years and five months' imprisonment. The court did not impose an MPI, but noted that the length of imprisonment would be determined by the Parole Board. Additionally, the court disqualified the defendant from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for three years from the release date and made a final order suppressing the victim's name in the context of the wilful damage offence to prevent undue hardship.

The final orders included a sentence of four years and five months' imprisonment for manslaughter, with concurrent sentences for the other charges, a three-year disqualification from holding or obtaining a driver's licence starting from the release date, and an order suppressing the victim's name in the wilful damage offence.