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Pair sentenced after death of Gisborne man Davis Colin Phillips 15 Apr, 2021 09:58 PM 5 minutes to read Police at the property in Taita, Lower Hutt. Photo / RNZ "A day no one should ever go through. A phone call no one should ever have to answer. A broken voice no mother should ever have to listen to – came from one of my sons." Verbeana Reeves' hands shook but her voice was strong in the courtroom. It was silent except for the quiet, tearful sniffs of the people packed in the public gallery, and the woman in the dock who had fatally stabbed Reeves' brother.

Toetu Falemanu Tui Saili​, 40, pleaded guilty to injuring Phillips with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, by stomping on his head after the stabbing, and breaching conditions of his release from prison. He was sentenced to two years and three months’ jail and will also be considered for parole soon. The time spent in custody awaiting resolution of the charges counted towards their eventual sentences. They became eligible to be considered for parole after serving one-third of their term, which both had by the time they were sentenced on Friday. Stuff Toetu Falemanu Tui Saili might ...

Phillips, 56, was originally from Gisborne and had close ties to Ngāti Porou. A statement from his partner was read to the court, saying that they had met as teenagers, were together for 42 years, and had three children. They also worked at the same factory. He was her soulmate and she carried his ashes everywhere with her. Statements from his daughter, sister, brother, and sister-in-law were also read, speaking of their grief and anger, and hoping the two offenders understood the loss they had caused. Stuff Toetu Falemanu Tui Saili might not have known Phillips had already been stabbed ...

Phillips fled, yelling something like, “I am already stabbed, I am already dead”. Tui Saili chased him out on to Hughes Cres, Taita, but Phillips tripped and, still on the ground, grabbed at him. Tui Saili stomped on Phillips’ head “a number of times”, according to the summary. Hohipa and Tui Saili agreed he would take the blame, and Hohipa put the knife into a wheelie bin outside. The three had been in a larger group at the Hughes Cres house, some of them drinking through the day and into the evening, although Tui Saili said he had not been drinking.