A New Plymouth woman has avoided a prison sentence after knocking a young mother unconscious in a coward punch attack late last year.
Ruby Hutchinson appeared for sentencing after pleading guilty to injuring with intent, where Judge Ingram sentenced her to six months of community detention, which includes a nightly curfew.
The assault took place at the Good Home bar in New Plymouth in November.
The victim was initially struck from the side by an associate of Hutchinson. While the victim was dazed, Hutchinson delivered a secondary blow that knocked her unconscious.
The attack left the young mother with a severe concussion, ongoing neurological symptoms and financial losses.
Police originally charged Hutchinson with common assault.
Former police detective TeUraura Nganeko says he was approached for help by the victim and her family, with the offender reportedly on track for a discharge without conviction through the Te Pae Oranga restorative justice process.
Authorities eventually withdrew the lesser charge and replaced it with injuring with intent.
Nganeko has become a prominent advocate for justice reform following the tragic death of his own son. Daniel Nganeko died in July 2025 after being struck by a coward punch outside Tukapa Rugby Club.
Since then, TeUraura Nganeko has presented submissions to Parliament's justice select committee on the Crimes Amendment Bill to push for stricter penalties.
Following Hutchinson's sentencing, Nganeko expressed frustration at the outcome but said it was entirely predictable. He pointed out the gap between the severity of the violence and the consequences delivered by the court.
"The sentence was disappointing, but it was not surprising," Nganeko said. He dded that many New Zealanders would struggle to understand how an attack causing potentially life-threatening head injuries could result in a non-custodial sentence.
During the hearing, Judge Ingram acknowledged that if the assault had occurred in Sydney, Australia, Hutchinson would have faced a minimum of five years in prison. However, the judge was bound by the Sentencing Act 2002. Section 8 of the Act directs judges to impose the least restrictive outcome suitable for the circumstances.
Judge Ingram applied several sentencing discounts for Hutchinson. These factored in her early guilty plea, previous good character, ambitions to become a nurse and the fact she handed herself into police the day after the incident.
Nganeko questioned the weight placed on Hutchinson surrendering to authorities. He highlighted that the assault happened in a busy licensed premises, was captured on CCTV and was witnessed by multiple people. He suggested her identity would have been established regardless.
He also took issue with the court repeatedly referring to the assault as a "king hit". Nganeko said the term sanitises the violence and diminishes the cowardice involved in attacking an unsuspecting person.
"There was nothing kingly, honourable or impressive about attacking an unsuspecting person who had no opportunity to defend themselves," he said.
Nganeko believes the current framework shifts focus away from the horrific violence inflicted on victims. Instead, he said the system prioritises offender mitigation, leaving victims to deal with the lasting physical and emotional consequences.
He is calling for specific coward punch offences and stronger sentencing starting points to ensure offenders are held properly accountable.
