12 Apr 2022

Vake's friends urge tougher sentences for one-punch attacks

From Checkpoint, 5:15 pm on 12 April 2022

Friends of a rising MMA fighter and father killed in a one punch attack want much tougher minimum sentences, akin to ones Australia has.

Today Daniel Havili was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for the manslaughter of Liufau Vake, a rising MMA fighter.

Havili punched Vake in an unprovoked attack. Vake died nine days later in hospital.

His friends think less than three years behind bars is "heartbreaking" and "not a deterrent" to killing someone.

Jordan Bond reports.