Source: Radio New Zealand
Rakai Jacob Thompson. RNZ / Robin Martin
The family of a Taranaki teenager killed by a friend – who he looked upon as an older brother – says they have lost a loving son, protective brother and cherished moko.
Rakai Jacob Thompson was jailed for five years for the manslaughter of 17-year-old Te Omeka Pairama Akariri-Buckley when he appeared for sentencing at the High Court in New Plymouth.
The Bell Block teenager died after being stabbed by 26-year-old Thompson following a botched night out in July 2024, attempting to rustle sheep to fill their freezers.
Tensions heightened during the night, culminating in an altercation at Thompson’s Waitara home, where he stabbed his friend, inflicting wounds to the chest and abdomen.
He later died in hospital.
A jury acquitted Thompson of Akariri-Buckley’s murder in December.
Te Omeka Pairama Akariri-Buckley, 17, died in 2024. Supplied / Police
Wearing a prison-issued white t-shirt, Thompson sat with his head bowed as members of the Akariri-Buckley whānau read victim impact statements to a room full of supporters, many of them wearing black t-shirts with Te Omeka Forever 17 printed on them.
After karakia were said, Donna Akariri told the court her son lived a life full of “aroha and purpose”, and she wanted to share the impact his death had on his whānau and friends.
“He was loving, talented, funny and full of life. He was a loved and devoted son, a loving, loyal brother, a cherished mokopuna, a treasured nephew, a playful uncle and a loyal, dedicated, loving partner.”
Akariri said the age-group representative rugby league player “had many passions, and he poured his whole heart into them”.
“He led haka for Puketapu School and Spotswood College, always standing proud, always giving it his all”.
He also loved music and the family had donated his drum kits to Manukorohi Intermediate in Waitara following his death, hoping others would take up his passion.
Akariri said her son was particularly close to his brother Don: “They got into mischief, laughed, cried and loved like they were twins”. She said he a devoted partner to his girlfriend, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
“His death was sudden, violent and not just senseless, but his loving and caring generosity at that time was destroyed. It took him,” she said.
“It took from us, not only a son, but a future, his future, and the future that we imagined with him in it, we will never again feel the warmth of his loving, caring nature, or hear that spontaneous, infectious laughter that could life any room.
“I want everyone to know that Te Omeka was a beautiful, happy, loving, caring young man who always gave me a kiss goodnight and whenever he left home for the day. Followed with ‘Iove you mum’. He was loved deeply, and he loved deeply in return, his was a life full of promise.”
At the end of her victim impact statement, she turned and held a portrait of her son up towards Thompson, who kept his head bowed.
Friends and whānau of Te Omeka Akariri-Buckley gathered outside the New Plymouth Court. RNZ/Robin Martin
Fighting back tears, Akariri-Buckley’s girlfriend told the court that although the teenagers had only known each other a few months, they could already imagine a life together.
“But no, because surely his life was taken on this road right in front of me. I literally watched his life drain out of his body. I felt so hopeless. There was nothing I could do to help,” she said.
“I would not wish this pain on anyone. Every single day, I wish I could change what happened that night. There is now a huge gap in my life.”
Crown solicitor Prue Lange argued the seriousness of Thompson’s offending and the impact it had on the family and friends of Akariri-Buckley were aggravating factors ahead of his sentencing.
“The Crown suggests a starting point no less than eight years imprisonment.”
Lange argued the use of a 25cm boning knife to stab Akariri-Buckley, the serious nature of his wounds and a level of premeditation in Thompson’s offending put it at the more serious end of the scale.
“He had the knife in his hand, whether he took it outside, or was already outside, he then went straight to Te Omeka and DJ to aggressively confront them, and then used it intentionally against Te Omeka… Mr Thompson used entirely unnecessary and gratuitous violence.”
Lange acknowledged Thompson’s early plea, remorse and willingness to engage in restorative justice, but argued against a sentence reduction for self-defence or provocation. The victim had assaulted the defendant immediately before the fatal stabbing.
The Crown wanted a minimum non-parole period of half of the eventual end sentence.
Thompson’s defence counsel, Paul Keegan KC, put forward a starting point of between six and seven years in jail, pointing to the outcome of December’s trial.
“The prisoner Rakai Thompson appears for sentencing, having been convicted of manslaughter. The jury, of course, found Mr Thompson not guilty of the murder.”
Keegan rejected the Crown’s depiction of Thompson “lying in wait’ for Akariri-Buckley and his brother and argued his actions were essentially defensive “albeit excessive”.
“The human tragedy of this incident is only made more profound when considering Mr Thompson’s link to Te Omeka,” he said.
“Mr Thompson did not intend to kill Te Omeka and counsel submits that in those frantic few seconds, he simply did not turn his mind to the potential consequences of his actions.”
Keegan argued that Thompson was a low risk of reoffending and a minimum non-parole period was not necessary.
Justice Jason McHerron began his sentencing by acknowledging the friends and whānau in court and praising Thompson for his quiet demeanour.
He didn’t find the defendant’s actions amounted to premeditation, but agreed he was enraged and the force that he used “was clearly excessive”.
Justice McHerron had a starting point of seven-and-a-half years in jail, reflecting the use of a weapon and the seriousness of the injuries, but gave discounts for Thompson’s early guilty plea, remorse and the effect of his imprisonment would have on his young daughter, before arriving at a jail term of five years.
He didn’t impose a minimum non-parole period.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
