Yelling in court as gangster jailed over teen’s death
File image. © Andrew Bardwell
Christchurch’s main High Court had to be cleared when yelling broke out as a Mongrel Mobster was jailed for six years nine months over a car chase crash death.
The public gallery was cleared as Justice David Gendall pronounced the sentence for Fabian Jessie Mika, who has the word “Mobsta” tattooed in huge letters across his face.
Threats were yelled at Mika from the packed public seats.
Mika, who has a one-month-old child, called back, “Don’t you threaten my daughter.”
Security had been stepped up in the No 1 High Court for the manslaughter sentencing which involved hearing evidence and took more than three-and-a-half hours. Prison officers, police, and Court Security officers were present.
Mika had pleaded guilty to the manslaughter charge relating to the death of a 15-year-old boy, at an earlier Christchurch District Court appearance, and had been remanded to the High Court for sentence, but he continued to dispute some of the facts of the offending.
That meant that evidence had to be heard over the disputed facts so that Justice Gendall could rule on them before the sentencing could go ahead.
Mongrel Mob member Mika, 25, the driver of the car, admitted the manslaughter charge, failing to stop for police, failing to ascertain injury after an accident, and being an unlicenced driver, but denied he was drunk, had used cannabis, was asked by passengers to stop the car when the police were pursuing it, and driving at up to 150kmh.
The crash on February 22 happened north of the Bromley sewage ponds at about 12.35am. Mika was driving the car he had stolen, hit road works, rolled the vehicle, then ran away.
After two witnesses, who were in the vehicle when the chase and accident happened, gave their evidence, Justice David Gendall said he was satisfied that the Crown had proved that Mika did consume alcohol and drugs to such an extent that he was affected by them.
He also agreed that the passengers had told Mika to stop for the police but refused to do so, but was not satisfied that Mika reached 150kmh.
The mother of the boy killed in the accident read her victim impact report in court, saying that the family cried a lot and missed Ethan Takitimu-McKenzie.
She said Mika had taken off while her son lay in the grass dying of massive head and chest injuries. Her son would be “forever 15”, she said.
Crown prosecutor, Phil Shamy said Mika should have stopped for the police straight away but decided to deliberately avoid them.
It was a sustained course of bad driving, alcohol and drugs were involved, and involved speeds in excess of 100kmh, he said.
Defence counsel James Rapley said Mika had previous driving and criminal convictions.
He said Mika accepted and acknowledged that he had taken a life but he did not mean to do so. He had written a letter to the parents, apologising to them, and saying he wished it was him that died.
The probation officer’s pre-sentence report said Mika expressed contrition and remorse, and was in a distressed state of mind over the crash.
It said Mika was involved with a gang from the age of 16, and from then spent more time in jail than out of it, Mr Rapley said.
Justice Gendall said the victim impact reports from Ethan’s mother and brother made tragic reading.
He sentenced Mika to six years nine months prison, and when the court was cleared he read Mika the 1st strike warning for violent offenders.
Category: Focus
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