His co-offender, the gang’s sergeant-at-arms, has been jailed for more than five years after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the day his trial was to start.
The Rotorua court house. Photo / Kelly Makiha
There was a heavy police and security presence around the Rotorua courthouse as rival gang members and their families attended the sentencing hearing today.
Justice Michele Wilkinson-Smith reiterated to Williams and Durham during their sentencing what a waste gang life was and that gang members needed to stop shooting each other.
She said no one wanted anyone “taken away in body bags”.
Williams, 34, killed Woodford in an execution-style shooting on March 6, 2022, in what has been described as gang retaliation.
Woodford, who was likely unknown to the two men, lived at the Adelphi Motel in Taupō with his partner and the children.
The emergency housing motel was then known to house Black Power members, and Justice Wilkinson-Smith said the two men knew that.
She said the killing was planned to send Black Power a message.
Williams was on bail in Auckland at a Grace Foundation drug rehabilitation centre, but escaped after interfering with his GPS tracker.
During the 12 hours he was “offline”, he travelled in convoy with Mongrel Mob associates to Taupō in the early hours of the morning.
Marty Durham pleaded guilty in the High Court at Rotorua to the manslaughter of Ryan Woodford. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Shortly after a meeting held among Mongrel Mob members, Durham and Williams drove to the motel.
Justice Wilkinson-Smith said Williams used a stolen Mangakakahi patch, which is linked to Black Power, to conceal a gun.
He knocked on the sliding door of Woodford’s unit about 6.25am.
Justice Wilkinson-Smith said if Williams had been dressed like a Mongrel Mob member, it was unlikely Woodford would have opened the door.
Once he did, Williams shot Woodford in the heart, and he died in front of his family.
It was Williams’ defence at trial that he was not there.
Justice Wilkinson-Smith said Williams had spent most of his adult life in jail.
“Again, it is another example of the waste that gangs are creating.”
She said there was an “exceptional” degree of planning for a gang shooting.
“The planning was calculated and included a range of vehicles to be available at locations and included the use of the Mangakakahi patch as a diversion, the use of bail as an alibi, the flying visit to Taupō under the cover of darkness – all designed to allow you to commit the offence without detection while on bail.”
She said he dressed in all white, then changed his clothes, had a “burner” vehicle arranged and a “safe address” planned after the shooting to get changed and dispose of items.
Williams tried unsuccessfully to avoid CCTV cameras on his return journey to Auckland by using other people in their vehicle convoy to pump petrol at service stations, Justice Wilkinson-Smith said.
Family grieve devoted father
Victim impact statements from Woodford’s partner and father were read to the court by Crown Solicitor Amanda Gordon.
Woodford’s partner was granted permanent name suppression by the court during Williams’ trial.
Her statement said that because of Williams’ actions, she was forced to perform CPR on the man she loved as he died.
“I vividly relive that moment often. I remember him in shock saying, ‘f**k babe, those dog s**ts got me’ and moments later, him telling me he loved me before collapsing.”
She called for help and performed CPR, begging him not to leave.
She described Woodford as a devoted father, the man she trusted and the one she thought she would grow old with.
Kahu Woodford’s statement said parents were not supposed to bury their children.
“I wake each day carrying a grief that sits heavy in my chest.”
He said watching his grandchildren suffer had been the most painful part.
“Ryan was more than just my son, he was my pride. The person I watched grow from a boy into a loving father and partner.”
Durham’s sentence
Durham’s role in the killing was that he was in the car at the time.
In sentencing him, Justice Wilkinson-Smith said she accepted he did not expect or intend Williams to be killed, but should have known that was a risk.
She noted he had offered a letter of apology to Woodford’s family, but an apology would not have been needed if he had used his position with Williams to “de-escalate” or prevent the shooting.
She agreed with Durham’s lawyer, Max Simpkins, the starting point should be six years and six months, but reduced the sentence to one of five years and two months after discounts for his guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.