The Star: December 27, 2018

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday December 27 2018 5
Murderer threatened guard
• By Robb Kidd
A MAN WHO bludgeoned a
woman to death with an axe
in her Christchurch home
threatened to kill a prison officer
while being served dinner, a
court has heard.
Stephen James King, 60, is at
present serving a life sentence
at Otago Corrections Facility
for the murder of 45-year-old
Ordette Lloyd-Rangiuia in their
Christchurch home on January
31, 2004.
King – described in reports at
the time as “a career criminal”
with more than 150 convictions
– inflicted 46 injuries to the
victim, including 18 blows to her
head with the blunt end of a logsplitting
axe.
The day of the murder was
King’s birthday and he celebrated
by drinking most of a bottle
of tequila and smoking cannabis
and methamphetamine, the
court heard.
The defendant was sentenced
to a minimum period of imprisonment
of 16 years, which
lapses in 2021. King came before
the Dunedin District Court last
week after pleading guilty to
threatening to kill.
On August 17, prisoners were
being served their evening meal.
A Corrections officer passed
King’s meal through the small
hatch in his cell door and immediately
found himself on the
end of a tirade.
The inmate began abusing two
of the staff members who were
dishing out the food and “when
he saw the victim his demeanour
escalated to rage.”
“In a very angry voice he
looked directly at the victim and
threatened to kill him,” a police
summary of facts said.
Judge Kevin Phillips said the
threat featured obscenities.
When spoken to about the
incident, King said he hated
the victim “with a passion” and
claimed a change in medication
was behind his aggressive demeanour.
He nonetheless called
his comments “banter”.
The court heard the Corrections
officer had worked at the
prison for six years and it was
COURT:
Stephen
James King
threatened to
kill a prison
officer while
being served
dinner.
his first experience of such a
threat.
He took it seriously and the incident
had greatly upset his wife,
the judge said.
King was sentenced to six
months’ imprisonment.
The term would not affect his
parole-eligibility date but would
be taken into account by the
Parole Board when considering
his suitability for release.
– Otago Daily Times
Gillies exhibition
to stay at
Botanic Gardens
A COMPROMISE has been
made to keep award-winning
artist and costume designer
Jenny Gillies’ exhibition at the
Botanic Gardens.
Her Enchanted Garden will
move from the tea kiosk to the
old information
centre
building,
where it has a
lease for up to
a year.
The exhibition,
which has
been inside the
tea kiosk since Jenny Gillies
December
2016, features about 50 floral
costumes.
Originally, the exhibition was
designed to last six months but
its temporary lease has been
extended three times.
The Canterbury Horticultural
Society was granted a lease to occupy
the tea kiosk on December
6.
City council staff suggested the
kiosk would be better suited as a
community-based space, rather
than for commercial use.
Staff favoured the horticultural
society as it was not deemed to be
a commercial.
New Year’s Eve
Featuring the
Jordan Luck Band!
FREE
Monday 31 December, 6pm–12am
North Hagley Park
ccc.govt.nz/summertimes