The submission to Judge Jan Doogue from Tony Veitch's wife, Zoe Halford.
17 April 2009
http://www.stuff.co.nz/
Before I begin this letter, I would like to point out my husband has
no idea I have approached you, or the detail that follows. I passed
this on to Stuart Grieve as I think it is important for you to
understand who my husband it, and how he has only just survived some
incredibly dark days over the past nine months.
As his wife, I am incredibly proud of the way Tony has handled himself
during this "public frenzy". He has struck true to his word, and he's
been totally homest wto everyone close in his life.
I still remember the day, very early in our relationship, when Tony
built up the courage to tell me about what had happened with his
former partner on January 29, 2006. I could see he was tense, and I
knew he was upset. But he told me everything, in his typical upfront,
accountable style. There was no glossing over the facts. He was
remorseful, and he had done all he could to make things right.
To this day, Tony's account of that night has never wavered. Not once.
Not to my parents, our lawyers, his employers, and his counsellors. I
was with him during a number of his counselling sessions as he tried
to come to terms with how he could be driven to such a devastating
point. Tony found those sessions incredibly difficult, but in the end
they were fundamental for us to build a rock solid platform for
marriage, and children in the near future.
I also need you to appreciate what Tony has been through since this
story broke so publically in July last year. While the media have
reported two occasions of attempts to take his life, I can recount at
least seven times when Tony had lost all hope to live. You cannot
imagine a wife's fear coming home and finding your husband missing and
out of contact. I am so relieved we managed to keep him with us during
those dark times.
Your honour, when considering your sentence, I would like you to
understand what Tony has already suffered. He has effectively been
under home detention for nine months. For weeks he could not leave our
Lawrence St home because of media following his every move. Then came
the depression and Tony did not have the desire nor the will to leave
the bedroom.
He was so scared to face the public, even face his friends, I ended up
quitting my fulltime job just to be with him. His best friends from
Australia took turns to fly over and stay with him. His mother and
step-father have also come over from Australia to live with us and
help keep Tony safe. This is how life has been for us, and for what?
One mistake, on one night. His life has been taken away from him in so
many ways. Home detention in my opinion would be the worst possible
sentence you could hand down for someone who is trying so hard to get
his life and will to live back.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/
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