PHOTO: ODT FILEA Dunedin man who beat his mother to death with a dumbbell will no longer be subject to life imprisonment after winning an appeal. He appeared in the High Court at Dunedin 10 months later, where he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years. It makes Taylor one of the few killers in the country not to be subject to a life term. In an update, he said the defendant had found stability in a youth unit in prison and was engaged in activities and courses. Justice Mallon accepted that for a person with Taylor’s vulnerabilities, the effects of life imprisonment would likely "weigh very heavily on him".

Source: Otago Daily Times December 19, 2025 16:54 UTC