Victim's family 'revictimised'

FAITH LOST: Donna Travers says her faith in the legal system has been destroyed.

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Four-and-a-half years after Donna Travers' 16-year-old son Jeremy Frew was stabbed to death in Wanganui, she says her family are the ones serving a life sentence.

Late on Tuesday night, a jury in the High Court at Wanganui found Shae Brider, now 23, guilty of Mr Frew's manslaughter for a second time. He was remanded in custody till June 5 for a pre-sentencing hearing.

The verdict marked the end of a torturous legal process that has destroyed Ms Travers' faith in the justice system. "It's set up for the offender and the victims are revictimised constantly," she said.

Rawiri Hatata, who stabbed Mr Frew on Guy Fawkes night 2004, was found guilty of murder after a 2007 trial.

Brider and Rio Hartley, who were both found guilty of manslaughter, successfully appealed against their convictions.

Hartley's conviction was quashed after the Court of Appeal found there was not enough evidence to support a manslaughter charge. Brider's conviction was set aside, meaning the Crown could reprosecute him.

Ms Travers, who has moved to Australia to escape Wanganui, said the legal process was stacked in favour of the offenders. "I thought it was all over after the first trial but it's the defence lawyers looking for ways to get these guys off.

"You've got witnesses who aren't always going to remember what happened four years ago and the defence pounces on that."

She had considered taking legal action against a 111 operator who she said failed to pass on information to police about an earlier attack by the group, but she had decided not to in the face of mounting legal bills.

She said the saga had made it harder to grieve for her son, an "average kid" with a cheeky personality who had just got his first job and car.

She was required to write regular letters to the Parole Board, which often seemed a futile task.

Brider and Hartley are still serving prison sentences for their part in other violent events on the night Mr Frew died, including a second stabbing.

"I don't think [the letters] stop them getting out but I need to speak on Jeremy's behalf," Ms Travers said.

She said none of the group had ever shown remorse.