Jail sentences have been handed down for murder and manslaughter in Hastings’ Darcy Strickland case

Lousie Strickland says her heart was “completely shattered” when two gang members stomped on and beat her son Darcy to death on the street where he grew up.

The 29-year-old beloved teacher and aspiring rugby professional suffered insurmountable head injuries and was suffocated by his own blood after the attack on the night of October 13, 2022.

A younger female relative who had been walking home with him on Ramsey Crescent in the Hastings suburb of Flaxmere came to his aid and was also beaten and stomped unconscious.

Darcy’s mother made a victim impact statement at Napier High Court on Monday as the two men who murdered her son were sent to prison.

One was convicted of murder and one of manslaughter.

She said words could not express how difficult it was to lose her “loving son” to murder.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”

She said Darcy would always have a special place in her heart.

“I am very proud of you and your achievements, and I will love you forever, son.”

Louise Strickland said Darcy was someone who spread an “infectious aura of happiness” wherever he went.

Her son was a talented artist who was also loved by the children he taught at Irongate Primary School in Hastings, and so generous that he paid for the groceries of a woman who was short of money in the supermarket.

Louise Strickland also said that at the time of his death, Darcy had recently returned from France and was looking forward to going back to discuss a contract with rugby club CS Vienne.

Sentences spoken

On Monday, Alizaye Kireka Windzar Todd, 21, was sentenced in court to life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering Strickland and wounding the female relative with intent to do grievous bodily harm. He will serve a minimum non-parole period of 12 years.

The second attacker, Keontay Wayne Chadwick, 24, who joined in when Strickland was already unable to defend himself, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was jailed for three years and 11 months.

Both men are associated with the Mongrel Mob. Todd appeared in court with Mob tattoos on his face and the back of his head.

A witness said Todd appeared to have enjoyed punching and stomping Strickland, laughing and throwing well-aimed blows.

Judge Peter Churchman summarized the backgrounds of both men in two separate sentencing hearings on Monday, saying they had both grown up in gang environments and both had previous convictions for violence.

Both of Todd’s parents were incarcerated at times during his upbringing, and he was subjected to violent discipline in the various homes in which he was placed.

He was under state supervision at the age of 13 and used alcohol and drugs (cannabis, methamphetamine and MDMA) from an early age.

He had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and ADHD.

Chadwick was the son of a high-ranking Mongrel Mob member, and his father had also spent much of his childhood in prison.

He had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, but often failed to take his medications and was addicted to methamphetamine.

The court was told that Chadwick had been involved in an altercation with the 24-year-old female victim before the attack, during which she pushed him in the chest before Strickland calmed her down.

Chadwick then sought out Todd, and the two of them set out to find the couple.

The attack lasted several minutes

When they found them, Todd started punching Strickland, knocking him to the ground. Todd then stomped on Strickland several times, targeting his head and neck as Chadwick watched.

Towards the end of the attack, Chadwick joined in.

The attack lasted several minutes as Strickland lay on the ground and eventually fell unconscious, after which Todd approached some people nearby who had seen what happened.

He asked one of them for a knife so he could “finish it off.”

The female victim tried to intervene and begged the two to stop attacking Strickland. She bent over her relative on one knee.

Todd then punched her repeatedly, causing her to fall to the ground.

While she was lying on her stomach, Todd stomped on her face about five times and said, “Do you want some of this?”.

After the woman was knocked unconscious, Todd turned to the bystanders, who fled.

Mongrel Mob slogan used

As they left the area, Todd was heard saying “Seig f….. heil”, a slogan of the Bastard Mob.

A member of the public found the injured couple and came to their aid when the woman regained consciousness.

She suffered serious injuries around her face. Strickland was already dead.

The next day, Chadwick visited his probation officer and told him he had been involved in a fight in which a man was “crushed.”

He told the officer it was “really scary” and he had joined in to help his colleague because “the brother was about to lose.”

Chadwick pleaded guilty after an investigation found he was mentally fit to do so.

Brother tells killer: ‘You’re a coward’

Strickland’s brother, Jermaine Harris-Strickland, told Chadwick in court Monday that he hoped he got the help he needed.

He told Todd, “The reality is, you’re a coward.

“You think you’re tough, but you needed someone to help you get my brother out,” he said.

He criticized the younger members of the Mongrel Mob for using “mafia mentality” to hurt people.

“All of us here are whānau in one way or another. We all have to get better,” Harris-Strickland said.

“Our people must stop this. Our people must take care of each other.

“Please be better. Please do better,” Jermaine told the two suspects.

Family statement speaks of ‘true love’

Outside court, the family issued a statement saying no one could replace Darcy, “his genuine love he had for all of us and the boundless joy he brought to the lives of all who were fortunate enough to know him.

“As a family, we have had to endure years of legal proceedings to bring those who took him from us to justice.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions.

“We went from being fine one moment to another lawsuit bringing everything back to the forefront, which was extremely difficult to bear.

“But we are pleased that we are finally reaching the end of his case and that those responsible are being held accountable for their heinous actions against Darcy,” the statement said.

“We would like to sincerely thank everyone for all the love and support they have shown our family and for the happy memories we all receive every day from others sharing their special moments of Darcy with us.”

Detective Sergeant Kate Hyde said on behalf of Hawke’s Bay Police, she wanted to acknowledge and thank community members who provided information that helped hold the killers to account.

“We know there were people who were reluctant to speak to police because of the gang connections of the two men responsible for Darcy’s death, so I commend those who came forward for doing the right thing by Darcy and its whānau.”

Ric Stevens worked for the former New Zealand Press Association news agency for many years, including as a political reporter in Parliament, before taking on senior positions at several newspapers. He joined NZME’s Open Justice team in 2022 and is based in Hawke’s Bay. His writing on crime and justice is based on four years of frontline experience as a probation officer.