Man shot on school grounds jailed
A man who was shot after a police stand-off at Flaxmere Primary School has been sentenced to 21⁄2 years in jail.
Derek Timu, 31, appeared in the Hastings District Court on Tuesday, claiming he wanted police to shoot him at the scene in December last year.
Timu pleaded guilty to a raft of charges in January, including unlawfully carrying an imitation firearm and nine burglaries.
When appearing in court before Judge Bridget Mackintosh, Timu shed a tear as details of his “year of criminal offending” were raised.
He arrived at Flaxmere Primary School, telling the deputy principal he was there to pick up a relative.
"We have staff who are still fearful to come into work." Flaxmere Primary statement
After being refused, he lifted his top revealing a BB pistol in his waistband. The school went into lockdown and police were called.
Timu was confronted by police on the netball court, where he pointed the gun at police and was shot once. Officers immediately administered medical attention and Timu was taken by ambulance to Hawke’s Bay Hospital.
Clint Rickards, who represented Timu, said he wanted “to create enough mayhem that police would be called”, in a “suicide by police” attempt. Timu, who had since written letters of apology to the school, had shown “heartfelt remorse”.
Crown Prosecutor James Bridgman argued while it “may have been a cry for help, it is one of 16 charges”.
Mackintosh said Timu’s offending “cut its way through the Hawke’s Bay community”.
Timu was given a 15 per cent discount for remorse and personal circumstances and a further 25 per cent discount for his guilty pleas.
A victim impact statement, read on behalf of Flaxmere Primary School deputy principal Linda
Tyrell, said students and teachers suffered “emotional harm” from the incident.
Some staff remain “fearful” of going to the school following that “traumatic day”, with others attending counselling. One student said “it’s not fair”, while a teacher said her workplace was “my happy place”.
It also touched on the “guilt” felt by Tyrell when students and staff were locked down and Timu was shot.
“I believe I could have made you stop. I now realise this is no longer my guilt,” it said. “We have staff who are still fearful to come into work or to work by themselves. One staff member couldn’t return to her office and still struggles to be on her own today.”