Wed 4 Aug 2010 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
3.20pm: Ferdinand Ambach has read a forceful submission in his own defence as he appeals his sentence for the manslaughter of gay Auckland man Ronald Brown. Ronald Brown In December 2007, Ambach beat the 69-year-old Onehunga resident to a bloody mess with a banjo, before shoving the broken neck of the instrument down his throat. Brown later died in hospital when his life support was turned off. The pair had earlier met at a pub, before going back to Brown's home. The defence at Ambach's Auckland trial in September last year used the now-defunct "partial defence of provocation" or as it was frequently known "gay panic defence", with the tourist claiming Brown made sexual advances towards him. Appearing in court this afternoon sporting a check shirt and with his long hair tied back, Ambach, who was on a working holiday from his native Hungary, read a statement through an interpreter. It highlighted the reasons he believes his eight year minimum non-parole period for the killing is excessive. The Hungarian national said when Brown asked him to have another drink with him he did not know the elderly man was gay, but simply thought he had made a friend. “I am not homophobic. I have never discriminated against anyone,” he said. “I was and still am very sorry for causing Mr Brown's death and the suffering caused to Mr Brown's family.” Ambach said he expressed no remorse during his trial under specific advice from his lawyer not to show any emotion. He said he was instructed in this way every morning. “I found it very hard to go through the trial like this,” he said. “I take responsibility for my actions, but do not remember them.” He said he would have pleaded guilty to manslaughter but was not given the opportunity. “I am not an aggressive person. I do not resolve problems that arise in my life with violence.” 3:45pm: The appeal has been adjourned six weeks for an investigation into whether Ambach was given the option to plead guilty to manslaughter. GayNZ.com's journalist in the Wellington Court of Appeal will shortly post a report giving more in-court detail from this afternoon's commencement of Ambach's appeal hearing.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 4th August 2010 - 3:06pm