Shayd Robinson

Case details

Shayd Robinson was convicted of murder for stabbing Aaron Hadfield during an altercation described as a road rage incident. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum 10-year non-parole period on March 5, 2013.

People

• Shayd Robinson (21) — defendant; convicted of murdering Aaron Hadfield; told Mr Hadfield “Your blood tastes sweet” or “I like the taste of your blood” according to witnesses; he later said he did not remember licking the knife or using those words.
• Aaron Hadfield (27) — victim; a hard-working scaffolder; partner of Kiri Hughes; father of two children; died after being stabbed in the chest.
• Kiri Hughes — Aaron Hadfield’s partner; moved out of Wellington to help her cope with his absence.
• Ellanah Robinson — Shayd Robinson’s younger sister; the judge said he feared for her future.
• Tom Robinson — Shayd Robinson’s father; previously convicted of manslaughter for fatally stabbing cousin Royston Hughes.
• Benjamin Robinson (now goes by the name Chay Karnn) — Shayd Robinson’s grandfather; almost killed a man when he shot him in the back during an armed robbery.
• William Axl Stark (23) — accomplice; pleaded guilty to assault and intentional damage; sentenced to four months’ home detention; punched and kicked Aaron Hadfield through the car window and fled without offering help.
• Mike Antunovic — Shayd Robinson’s defence lawyer.
• Bryan Yeoman — defence lawyer for William Axl Stark.
• Justice Miller — sentenced Shayd Robinson and commented on the case.
• Justice Ronald Young — presided over earlier proceedings mentioned and sentenced Stark in November.
• Prosecutor Kate Feltham — submitted sentencing submissions for Stark.
• Prosecutor Ian Murray — Crown prosecutor during the trial.
• James Hadfield — victim’s father.
• Rebecca Quilliam — author byline of one trial-related report.
• Matthew Backhouse — author byline of a report on the guilty verdict and sentencing timing.
• Sam Boyer — author byline of a report on the conviction and family history.
• Devon Polaschek — associate professor of forensic psychology; commented on intergenerational violence.
• Kerry-Anne Hirini — witness who said she saw Shayd lick the knife and heard “Your blood tastes sweet”.
• A young witness (gender not stated) — witness who said she saw the fight and that Robinson licked the knife and said “I like the taste of your blood”.

Timeline

• January 26 (year referenced as “last year” and “January last year”) — Shayd Robinson and William Axl Stark attacked Aaron Hadfield after a road rage incident; Hadfield was stabbed once in the chest through the car window and died early the next day after being taken to hospital.
• November 12 (year referenced as “last year”) — Stark began serving four months’ home detention at his grandmother’s house in Featherston, starting from November 12; it was also the same day that Robinson’s first aborted murder trial began.
• November 12, 2012 — Shayd Robinson’s murder trial was underway in the High Court at Wellington; jury sworn in, then reduced from 12 after one juror was excused by Justice Ronald Young.
• November (year referenced as “last year”) — Robinson’s earlier murder trial was aborted after a juror revealed they knew information about the case.
• Tuesday (jury verdict date referenced as “found guilty on Tuesday” and “returned a guilty verdict yesterday”) — a jury found Shayd Robinson guilty of murdering Aaron Hadfield after deliberations described as lasting the seventh day.
• January 5, 2013 — publication date of a report describing the family history and verdict.
• May 1, 2013 — publication date of a report stating sentencing could occur “as early as this week” and describing a provisional sentencing date.
• March 5, 2013 — sentencing date when Robinson was given life imprisonment with a minimum 10-year non-parole period.

Background

Shayd Robinson had been attacked on the street in 2008 and became fearful and reclusive afterwards. He carried a knife for self-defence. The judge said Robinson had no previous convictions, described as “quite an achievement”. The judge said Robinson had a difficult time growing up in what was clearly a rough neighbourhood, his parents were drug users, and his father was a violent man.

The court heard that the judge feared for the future of Robinson’s younger sister Ellanah Robinson.

The case also described a violent family history: Shayd Robinson followed in his father’s and grandfather’s violent footsteps. Tom Robinson had been convicted of manslaughter for fatally stabbing cousin Royston Hughes during a dispute over a car stereo. Benjamin Robinson (who now goes by the name Chay Karnn) had shot a pub manager in the back after ordering him to the ground during an armed robbery at the Grand National pub in Petone and was later caught after three months on the run, confessing and being convicted of aggravated robbery and related firearm-related matters.

Associate Professor Devon Polaschek said criminal behaviour was often passed between generations, describing violence as commonly running in families where an attitude that violence was acceptable could be passed on, including through learned ways of interacting and misreading hostility.

The offence

Aaron Hadfield was stabbed and killed during a road rage incident. The evidence described Shayd Robinson and William Axl Stark as walking in the Lower Hutt suburb of Stokes Valley on a summer’s evening. There was evidence that they were crossing a street into which Mr Hadfield turned at speed and apparently without indicating. Robinson’s companion shouted, and Mr Hadfield stopped his car and responded.

A heated exchange followed when Mr Hadfield reversed his car, lowered his window and gestured aggressively at the men. Witnesses described punches inflicted by the men on Mr Hadfield through the driver’s window in a frenzy.

Shayd Robinson reached into the car and stabbed Aaron Hadfield once in the chest. The blow struck his heart and lung. The Crown alleged Robinson stabbed Hadfield in the chest through the window of the victim's car after an altercation over his driving on January 26 last year. Mr Hadfield had been returning home from picking up prescription medicine for one of his young children.

After the stabbing, witnesses said Robinson licked the blade of the knife and said words to the effect of “Your blood tastes sweet” or “I like the taste of your blood”. Robinson later said he did not remember even seeing blood on the knife, let alone licking the knife or using those words.

Justice Miller accepted that Mr Hadfield had grabbed Robinson’s hoodie and that Robinson probably stabbed him to make him let go. Justice Miller said Mr Hadfield had not been attacking Robinson, and that if he had been attacking Robinson using a knife would have been grossly excessive. Justice Miller accepted that Robinson did not intend to kill Mr Hadfield but had acted recklessly with a weapon. The judge said the confrontation should have ended in an exchange of words but his behaviour did not justify the attack launched upon him. The judge also characterized the statements “mouthing off” in the heat of the moment.

Investigation and evidence at trial

A witness described seeing Robinson holding a small knife while walking away, saying he licked the knife and told the victim “I like the taste of your blood”. Another witness, Kerry-Anne Hirini, said she was sure she saw Shayd lick the knife and said “Your blood tastes sweet”. She also said she helped Mr Hadfield out of the vehicle and tried to stem the blood flow, and that while waiting for emergency services Mr Hadfield kept saying he wanted to get home to his partner and kids.

Under cross-examination, the young witness conceded she did not see Robinson’s tongue on the knife and suggested he may have been wiping his face with his sleeve while holding the knife, and she also described the possibility that they had heard from another witness about the licking.

Under cross-examination, Kerry-Anne Hirini also told defence lawyer Mike Antunovic that Robinson could have been wiping his sleeve across his face and not licking the knife, stating, “I didn't see his tongue on the blade”. She said “I’m sure that I saw Shayd lick the knife. I wish I hadn't,” and that he said, “Your blood tastes sweet”.

The Crown case included the allegation that Robinson stabbed Mr Hadfield once in the chest through the car window. The Crown prosecutor told the jury that Mr Hadfield was stabbed once in the chest and the knife pierced his heart and lung and that he died the next morning in hospital.

Robinson’s defence was that he acted in self-defence. Robinson admitted stabbing Hadfield once but claimed it was in self-defence or out of panic.

Robinson’s claim of self-defence was rejected by the jury, which found him guilty.

Arrest and custody

Robinson was remanded in custody for sentencing at a later date.

Trial

The murder trial was held in the High Court at Wellington, with Justice Ronald Young. A jury of seven men and five women was sworn, and Robinson’s trial was reduced to 11 after one juror was excused by Justice Ronald Young. The jury deliberated for 7 1/2 hours according to one report. The jury returned a guilty verdict after a trial in which it was described as the seventh day of the trial, and the jury rejected Robinson’s claim that he was acting in self-defence.

An earlier murder trial was aborted in November last year when one of the jurors revealed they knew information about the case.

Sentencing

On March 5, 2013, Shayd Robinson was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Aaron Hadfield at Stokes Valley in January last year. The sentence carried a minimum 10-year non-parole period. Justice Miller addressed the circumstances: he accepted that Mr Hadfield grabbed Robinson’s hoodie and that Robinson probably stabbed to make him let go, but he said if Mr Hadfield had been attacking Robinson using a knife would have been grossly excessive. The judge accepted Robinson did not intend to kill Mr Hadfield but had acted recklessly with a weapon. The judge feared for the future of Robinson’s younger sister Ellanah Robinson.

The judge said Robinson had no previous convictions, describing this as “quite an achievement”. The judge also said the confrontation should have ended in an exchange of words but Robinson’s behaviour did not justify the attack launched upon him.

The court heard Robinson had been attacked in 2008 and became fearful and reclusive, carrying a knife for self-defence.

Outcomes and related proceedings

William Axl Stark’s offending was suppressed until the jury in the Robinson trial returned their verdict. Stark was sentenced in November last year after pleading guilty to charges of assault and intentional damage. He received four months’ home detention at his grandmother’s house in Featherston starting from November 12 last year. Justice Young sentenced Stark to four months’ home detention and the sentencing was described as suppressed until the end of Robinson’s trial.

During Stark’s sentencing, Justice Ronald Young said:

"But of course part of what happened here was that this man died, and the effect on his family has been understandably catastrophic. "The fact is that you played a part in the events that ultimately gave rise to the death of this man and that is, and should be, on your conscience."

For Stark, prosecutor Kate Feltham submitted that Stark offered no help when it became clear Mr Hadfield was seriously injured and that although he could not be sentenced for the death it should be taken into context. Bryan Yeoman submitted that Stark had already spent about six weeks in custody and that a sentence of three months was appropriate.

Stark had taken part in the confrontation: he punched Mr Hadfield several times through the car window and kicked and kneed the car door. Robinson joined in before stabbing Mr Hadfield in the chest. Stark fled without offering any help as Mr Hadfield bled to death. Stark had two previous convictions for assault among his 25 convictions since 2006.

Aftermath

James Hadfield said the verdict was the right decision, stating:

"As best as the law allows, justice was done. He was given a fairer trial than Aaron was. "We'd like to thank the police and the detectives involved in bringing some sort of justice to Aaron. Whatever the result, it was never going to bring Aaron back."

Kiri Hughes moved out of Wellington to help her cope with his absence.

The sentencing of Robinson followed the guilty verdict, with sentencing described as possible as early as the week after the guilty verdict, and a provisional sentencing date set for that Friday.

Other details

Words attributed to Robinson and actions described by witnesses included:

• A witness said Robinson said: "I like the taste of your blood" and licked the knife.
• Another witness reported Robinson said: "Your blood tastes sweet".
• A witness described Mr Hadfield calling after the young men: "next time you want to fight, fight like a man without weapons".
• The jury rejected Robinson’s claim that he was acting in self-defence.
• Robinson was described as a first offender.
• Robinson admitted stabbing Hadfield once but said it was out of panic; he also said he did not remember even seeing blood on the knife, let alone licking the knife or using those words.
• The court heard Mr Hadfield wanted to get home to his partner and kids while waiting for emergency services.