Family struggle with forgiveness after son’s one-punch killing

Friday, 21 February 2025

Brian and Natasha Smith outside the High Court in Wellington on Thursday, where the man who killed their only son, Luke, was sentenced.

Four months after 21-year-old Luke Smith was killed in a “brutal and senseless” attack on Courtenay Place, his parents and the officer in charge of the police investigation reveal exclusively to The Post just how disastrous a split-second decision can be.

Luke Smith would have forgiven the man who killed him, his dad says.

He would have forgiven the man who struck him down with one punch and then stood over his unconscious body mocking him as his blood pooled on the pavement outside the abandoned Reading Cinema complex on Courtenay Place.

Because that’s just who 21-year-old South African citizen Luke Smith was. He was a kind and humble young man, whose strong faith drove his unshakable belief in forgiveness.

“I know Luke would always have wanted us to forgive because that’s the kind of person he was. My wife and I take solace in that,” Luke’s father told The Post.

On Thursday, former amateur boxer Siale Siale, now 30, was sentenced at the Wellington High Court to two years and three months’ imprisonment having earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of manslaughter in relation to Luke’s death.

It’s a sentence Luke’s parents say doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the scale of their loss.

Luke Smith’s parents described him as “the joy of our lives”.

“Irrespective of the length of the sentence, nothing will bring Luke back, not even a 10-year sentence could do that,” Brian told The Post.

Siale’s sentencing also serves as a reminder of the devastating and wide-ranging impacts a split-second decision can have, lead investigator into Luke’s killing, Detective Sergeant Scott Rankin, said.

“When you’re out and about and trouble brews, be the smarter one, consider your actions and those of your friends, and just walk on,” Rankin urged.

Coward punch killing on Courtenay Place

One punch was all it took to kill Luke. It was October 6, 2024, and Luke had been in town clubbing.

Around 3.15am he and a friend were walking along Courtenay Place to meet another friend who was going to drive them home.

The duo passed Siale, who was sitting on a park bench outside the old Reading Cinema and had been drinking since 5pm the night before.

Luke was talking to two women who were sitting on the bench next to Siale, when Siale grabbed Luke’s t-shirt and asked him what he was looking at.

Siale Siale sat in the dock with his head hung throughout the sentencing.

A “minor verbal altercation” ensued, before Luke’s friend grabbed his forearm to get him to move along.

As Luke went to move away, Siale said: “Do you want to tell me what the f… you just said?”“ Luke replied: “I’m going to make you look like a pussy.”

Without warning, Siale punched Luke once with his left hand, hitting Luke’s jaw and rendering him unconscious instantly.

Siale then stood over Luke, as he lay unconscious and bleeding on the side of the road.

He pulled out his phone to record as he further ridiculed Luke, verbally taunting him, pulling his middle finger and kicking him once in his groin.

“F… you, motherf…er,” Siale said to the comatosed Luke.

Siale then left the scene, as onlookers and Luke’s friend attempted to perform CPR while they waited for emergency services. Luke never regained consciousness and died the following day in Wellington Hospital’s ICU.

‘It’s like my son’s life didn’t matter’

Campaigners gathered outside the court to show their support for Luke’s parents.

Luke was a young, energetic 21-year-old, full of dreams and bursting with hope. He was also a much longed for only child to his parents, Brian and Natasha Smith.

The duo had moved to New Zealand ahead of Luke, who was only here on a visitor’s visa at the time of his death, for a better life. They hoped Luke would be safer here than in South Africa, and he could set up a life of his own.

But, speaking exclusively to The Post after Siale’s sentencing, Natasha said she was “disappointed” in the New Zealand justice system.

“It’s like my son’s life didn’t matter. I think the sentencing sends the wrong message to the public, that anyone can do this and only get two years in jail. We desperately hope that New Zealand can be a better and safer place for us all, especially our youth.”

The couple now hope to establish a foundation in Luke’s name to address violent crime in central Wellington.

“Hopefully the Government will take proactive steps now to ensure Wellington becomes a safe city for all, irrespective of your culture or your background.”

The Smiths joined UFC star Israel Adesanya in calling on Kiwis to support a bill currently going through Parliament that aims to make “coward punches” their own criminal offence.

But where Luke would have forgiven Siale, Brian and Natasha are finding it much harder.

“This was a brutal and senseless attack … We cannot find it in our hearts, not now, perhaps not ever, to forgive,” Brian said, as he clutched his wife’s hand.

Brian and Natasha Smith clutched each other’s hands as they told the court that their lives had been “shattered beyond repair”.

Where once their home had been filled with laughter, a hollow silence now rung through the Smith household.

Addressing Siale directly, Brian said: “Instead of walking away, you chose violence. You knew your actions would have consequences … Now we as a family must suffer for the rest of our lives while you continue to live. You didn’t just take one life, you ruined many.”

‘A senseless event that in a split-second took the life of Luke Smith’

The officer in charge of the police response to Luke’s death, Detective Sergeant Scott Rankin, told The Post that Siale’s sentencing marked the end of their investigation into “a senseless event that in a split-second took the life of Luke Smith”.

“This one punch has changed the lives of not only the family and friends of Luke, but also the witnesses who attempted to assist Luke and the family of the offender,” Rankin said.

He hoped Luke’s death would encourage a shift in New Zealand’s “culture of excessive drinking, toxic masculinity and disorderly behaviour”.

“Police cannot be everywhere to intervene in every situation and individuals themselves need to check and shift their behaviours.

“As well, friends of those intoxicated and angry men also have their part to play by not leaving them in situations where they may cause trouble and by directing them away from confrontations.”

Justice Dale La Hood called Siale’s actions after he had punched Luke “callous and agressive”.

Rankin acknowledged that no sentence would ever seem enough for the taking of a life - “it carries a lifetime of consequences for others to bear”.

“The assault which led to Luke’s death was unprovoked and should be a reminder that one punch can have a devastating effect for all involved.”

Culture of toxic masculinity must be addressed

Speaking at Siale’s sentencing on Thursday, Justice Dale La Hood said Luke’s untimely death was a “tragic situation for everyone involved”.

“It demonstrates that we still have to eradicate a culture of toxic masculinity in our society - a culture that often results in senseless drunken violence in the entertainment areas of our cities.

“There are sadly far too many examples of young men being killed in reaction to minor or imagined slights,” he said.

Justice La Hood accepted that Siale was genuinely remorseful for his actions, and applied discounts to his sentence on the basis of a violent upbringing, a diagnosis of ADHD, the recent traumatic death of his father, and the importance of his presence in his young son’s life.

Members on both side of the public gallery - some supporting Luke’s parents, others supporting Siale - cried as a final sentence of two years and three months’ imprisonment was handed down.

Siale was also ordered to make an emotional harm repayment of $10,000 to Luke’s parents, which they intend to use to establish the foundation in his memory.