Dunedin man Jordan Taylor appeals life sentence for killing mother with dumbbell

Warning: This article contains references to mental health issues and suicidal thoughts.

Lawyers acting for a teen who bashed his mother's head in with a 10kg dumbbell say he shouldn't have received a sentence of life imprisonment.

Instead, Jordan Taylor's lawyers on Wednesday told the Court of Appeal in Wellington his sentence should be replaced with a finite sentence of between 13 and 15 years' jail.

Taylor was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2023, with a minimum period of 10 years, for killing his mother Anita in their Dunedin home.

They had spent the evening celebrating his 18th birthday with a friend. But, after the friend left, the tone between the mother and son changed.

Anita reportedly berated her son for several minutes and told him she wanted to die - something his lawyer said at the time of sentencing that made him snap.

Once she had gone to bed, Taylor turned out the hallway lights, went into her room and bludgeoned her to death.

He told one clinician he had never harboured violent thoughts towards his mother before, but after the first blow, he decided to "finish her off" with two more. He told another expert it was actually four further blows, and it was to put her out of her misery.

The teenager then put a tea towel on the stove, turned it on, packed a bag and left the house. However, he ended up calling police soon afterwards, admitting what he had done.

'The ultimate rejection'

On Wednesday, lawyer Kerry Cook, assisted by his trial counsel Sarah Saunderson-Warner, told three Court of Appeal judges Taylor saw his mother's comment about wanting to die as the ultimate rejection, that she didn't consider him worth living for.

"It was time to end the source of his problems," Cook said, referring to the now 20-year-old's actions in killing his mother.

Cook said Anita's comment and what followed needed to be considered against a backdrop of Taylor's incredibly isolated, abusive and dysfunctional life.

He told the court context was crucial in this case - at sentencing, Justice Melanie Harland had erred by failing to take into account the particular circumstances of Taylor's upbringing and age.

Cook said the defendant was isolated by his mother and felt trapped. He thought standing up to his mother's abuses and taunts would only make things worse but he couldn't leave because he worried about how she would cope.

He referred to his client's age and suggested his immaturity, lack of self-control and inability to consider the impact of his actions had also impacted Taylor's actions that night.

He also submitted the level of brutality that night, which didn't involve prolonged suffering or deliberate cruelty, failed to reach the highest level that warranted a sentence of life imprisonment.

Finally, he said the judge had incorrectly assessed Taylor's ongoing risk to the community, suggesting the need for public protection didn't apply as strongly in this case as in other cases.

He told the court an expert had suggested, somewhat perversely, that Taylor's risk of reoffending had lowered because his mother, who was the source of his anger, was now dead and he was no longer as isolated as he had been while living with her.

Cook said the judge was wrong to impose a life sentence and instead a finite sentence of between 13 and 15 years was appropriate.

Crown: Background reflected in MPI

Crown counsel Mark Lillico told the court Taylor's reduced culpability, as a result of his background, was reflected in the "ground-floor" minimum period of imprisonment of 10 years.

Lillico said that although aspects of this case were unusual, murders often occurred in a domestic situation, after an argument. There were feelings of anger, and often those involved were disinhibited by the effects of drugs or alcohol, he said.

Lillico told the court the sentence of life imprisonment wasn't manifestly unjust.

Justices Pheroze Jagose, Jillian Mallon and Christine Grice have reserved their decision.

Where to get help:

• Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.
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• Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202.
• Samaritans: 0800 726 666.
• Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz.
• What's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds.
• Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English.
• Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254.
• Healthline: 0800 611 116.
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155.
• OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Family Violence

• Women's Refuge: 0800 733 843.
• It's Not OK 0800 456 450.
• Shine: 0508 744 633.
• Victim Support: 0800 842 846.
• HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655.
• The National Network of Family Violence Services NZ has information on specialist family violence agencies.

-This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.