Michelle Blom now wishes she had intervened as a woman was subjected to 20 hours of torment in the basement of her West Auckland home.
Cameron Hakeke and Michelle Blom appear for sentencing in the High Court in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Edward Gay
Blom's friends bound, sexually assaulted and beat the 19-year-old victim during the ordeal before driving her to a remote road north of Auckland and leaving her for dead.
Today Blom was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for her part in the kidnapping. Her co-accused, Cameron "Cinnamon" Hakeke, was sentenced to two years and five months for his part in a separate kidnapping.
The story starts with Blom's flatmate, Nikki Jones. Jones believed the 19-year-old victim had slept with her boyfriend and had reported her to Child Youth and Family, who then took her children into custody.
Her close friend, Julie-Anne Torrance, believed the victim had stolen jewellery belonging to her dead daughter.
Justice Whata said Jones used Hakeke, a mutual friend, to lure the victim to Hakeke's West Auckland flat on the pretence of a drug deal in April last year.
"Ms Jones and Ms Torrance were waiting at the address and upon N [the victim] arriving, they attacked her. She was tasered by them and they cut her hair. They then forced N to sign over her car and took her out to the Bombay Hills and left her there, telling her not to return to Auckland."
Hakeke had also helped in cutting off the victim's hair - the subject of a second charge.
One month after that incident, Blom, Jones, Torrance and Jaclyn Keates were out on the town.
They were parked-up just off Karangahape Rd when Jones spotted the victim and dragged her into the car.
She was driven back to Blom's house where she was stripped naked in the basement, beaten and sexually violated.
Justice Whata acknowledged Blom did not take part in the attack or encourage it.
"However, it is clear that N was being held downstairs, against her will. This is confirmed in a text message to your flatmate in which you said 'text me, oi, you're babysitting the dog I left downstairs'."
Crown prosecutor Brian Dickey said Blom could have stopped the ordeal but she chose to do nothing.
The Court was told she now regretted that decision.
Jones, Torrance and another defendant - Wayne Blackett - later took the victim to a road in Dome Valley where Blackett throttled her before trying to break her neck and striking her in the head with a hammer 10 times.
The victim told the court at trial that she heard Jones and Torrance laughing.
They left her for dead on the side of the road where she was found by locals the following morning.
Blom's lawyer, Julie-Anne Kincade, told the court her client was not involved in the violence, was remorseful and had been willing to take part in a restorative justice conference.
She had also sought help for her drug addiction.
Hakeke's lawyer, Graeme Newell, said his client had spent nine months on a 24-hour curfew and asked for credit for the tough bail conditions.
In sentencing, Justice Whata said he had received victim impact statements from the victim and her parents who were in court.
"N has described the ongoing recovery from her head injuries, which have included surgery, a lengthy period of therapy, counselling and sleep medication. She also refers to emotional harm, especially at having her hair cut, which she described as her 'pride and joy'."
Blackett, Jones and Torrance were to be sentenced today for attempted murder and kidnapping but pre-sentence reports ordered by the court were not completed in time.
They will be sentenced next month.
Keates admitted her part in the attack before the trial and was jailed for three years and two months in prison.
Verdicts:
- Nicola Jones: Found guilty of threatening to kill, assault with a taser, attempted murder and injuring with intent. Not guilty of sexual violation. Admitted kidnapping (x2), assault with a pair of scissors (x2), robbery, assault with a cricket wicket.
- Julie-Ann Torrance: Found guilty of assault with a pair of scissors, sexual violation, attempted murder. Admitted kidnapping (x2), assault with a pair of scissors, robbery, assault with a cricket wicket and injuring with intent.
- Cameron Hakeke: Found guilty of kidnapping, assault with a pair of scissors. Not guilty of assault with a taser and robbery.
- Michelle Blom: Found guilty of kidnapping. Not guilty of sexual violation, assault with a cricket wicket, assault with a pair of scissors and injuring the victim by stomping on her hand and breaking her finger.
- Wayne Blackett: Admitted attempted murder and kidnapping. Charges of sexual violation and two counts of assault were dismissed.
