In Tauranga, Thomas Bull, Ethan Jeffs and Patrick Moloney had varied roles and levels of culpability, but all faced charges of assault, injuring with intent to injure and posting a harmful digital communication. Photo / Ayla YeomanJudge Stephen Coyle, who sentenced Jeffs in November, agreed with Judge Mason that it was a “hate crime”. Ethan Marc Jeffs, pictured at an earlier appearance in 2024, was sentenced in the Tauranga District Court in November 2025. Despite the reprimand, however, Judge Coyle concluded by telling Jeffs he was young and his life was ahead of him. Bull was sentenced to eight and a half months’ home detention, Moloney was sentenced to nine months’ home detention, and Jeffs was sentenced to 10 months’ home detention.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 19, 2025 19:45 UTC