Family upset by Popo's sentence

CRAIG SIMCOX/The Dominion Post

JAILED: Popo, 33, pleaded guilty last month to the manslaughter of the 53-year-old officer after a murder charge was dropped.

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The sentence of eight years and nine months' prison handed to the killer of police officer Derek Wootton was met with disbelief by his family today.

"I'm disgusted with the sentence. I guess it's not the right thing to say, but my brother's life is obviously very, very cheap," his younger brother, and fellow officer, Dave Wootton said outside the courtroom.

Derek Wootton was laying road spikes in Titahi Bay last July when Mongrel Mob member Andrew Popo struck him in a stolen car. He was fleeing police at the time.

Popo, 33, pleaded guilty last month to the manslaughter of the 53-year-old officer.

His sentence in Wellington's High Court today carried a non-parole period of five years and he was banned from driving for 10 years.

"I'm sorry, I just have no faith in the system," Dave Wootton said afterwards.

"You just ask yourself 'why do you bother?"'

Derek Wootton's fiance Bronwyn Hewitt said she too had expected more jail time.

"Whatever sentence Popo got wasn't going to bring Derek back. . . we just have to hope he stays there for a bit longer.

"I was hoping that this sentence would deter any other attacks on police officers going about their daily jobs but it hasn't reflected that at all."

On hearing the five-year non-parole period Mr Wootton's elder brother John could not contain his reaction.

"Outrageous," he said in the courtroom.

However, having spoken with crown prosecutor Grant Burston after the hearing he reflected on the sentence.

"There's a lot of initial emotion. I guess it's natural when you hear non-parole periods and things like that, one's never going to think the sentence is long enough.

"I think we have to acknowledge as a family that the police and judicial system have done a great job. I mean, they have exacted the most stringent sentence for a (motor vehicle) manslaughter killing. They've acknowledged, I think for the first time, that it was the killing of a policeman and that's been reflected in the sentencing and we have to be grateful for that."

The sequence of events which led to Mr Wootton's death began when Popo was called by a niece who complained she was in a car with a drunk driver.

Having driven to meet her, despite being disqualified from driving at the time, Popo knocked the driver to the ground and punched him about the head.

He then took the man's car and drove off before a 16-year-old passenger could get out.

He refused to stop when signalled by police and a high speed chase ensued.

During sentencing Justice Alan MacKenzie described how Mr Wootton had been laying road spikes when Popo's car approached, travelling at around 70kmh.

He said Mr Wootton had tried to evade the car but was struck in the legs, smashed into the windscreen and thrown more than 27 metres down the road. He was killed instantly.

Popo had a long history of offending including a previous manslaughter charge in 2001 after the high-profile shooting of 16-year-old Black Power prospect Wallace Whatuira on Waitangi Day.

He walked when a key witness refused to testify, despite having given evidence against the three Mongrel Mob men during depositions.

He also had two convictions for violent offences and a raft of driving related charges, and had only been out of jail for three months when he killed Mr Wootton.

Justice MacKenzie said the incident was one of the worst examples of vehicle-related manslaughter he had seen and it was a "significant aggravating factor" that Mr Wootton had been an officer acting in the course of his duties at the time.

He said a starting point of 12 years was appropriate, plus nine months assaulting the car driver, but gave Popo a four-year discount for his early guilty plea.

- NZPA