Nicho Waipuka has been convicted and discharged on a raft of charges that were laid before he killed Wellington journalist Phillip Cottrell.

Waipuka, 20, was already on intensive supervision for the charges, which include threatening to kill, wilful damage and assault, when he launched a fatal attack on Cotterell on December 10, 2011.

Waipuka was acquitted of murder in the High Court at Wellington last December, but found guilty of manslaughter.

He was sentenced to to 12 years and 10 months, and must serve at least 8 1/2 years before parole.

Waipuka appeared in the Lower Hutt District Court today, for a sentence review of the earlier charges.

He had punched someone in the head in a Lower Hutt street in September 2011 and walked away, leaving the victim to be assaulted by other people.

In August the same year, Waipuka threatened to kill a female friend when she refused to collect him from Wellington Hospital.

He was so angry that, after getting a ride from someone else, he punched a window and smashed a door off its hinges.

The other charges he was sentenced for at that time were two breaches of a community work sentence, refusing to undergo a driver's impairment test when he was stopped by police, driving while suspended, three shoplifting-type thefts, two wilful damage offences, disorderly behaviour, resisting arrest and breaching bail.

The court heard the intensive supervision had already been cancelled in light of the manslaughter charge and sentence.

Waipuka's lawyer Paul Paino said the fact his client had offended while under intensive supervision was taken into account in his sentence for manslaughter.

Judge Peter Butler convicted and discharged Waipuka on the earlier charges.

He was returned to prison to continue his sentence.

- © Fairfax NZ News