Auckland, May 14 NZPA - The mother of a teenager beaten to death in south Auckland says sentences need to be toughened after seeing her son's killer jailed today.

Jeffrey Alailima Key, 26, was sentenced by Justice Helen Winkelmann in the High Court at Auckland today to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 12 years.

Key was sentenced after being found guilty by a jury of murdering Riki Mafi, a 17-year-old innocent bystander he did not know, in Otara town centre in September 2006.

Justice Winkelmann said that Key was among a group of people that went to Otara Town Centre after being told that two people -- not including Mr Mafi -- had asked for a knife so they could stab them.

She said Key hit Mr Mafi, who was not acting in any way aggressively, so hard with a baseball bat that he felled him, and that he then struck another blow while Mr Mafi was on the ground before he was pulled away by colleagues.

The 12-year minimum non-parole period was what prosecuting lawyer Kevin Glubb had sought, arguing it was in line with sentences in similar cases, but Mr Mafi's mother Linda Beduhn said it was not enough.

"It doesn't even cover Riki's life," Ms Beduhn said outside court.

"I just hope that one day the law changes and (offenders) are given more time."

Ms Beduhn and Mr Mafi's father Faono Mafi both gave emotional statements to the court about how the killing had hurt them.

Faono Mafi said he separated from Ms Beduhn when Riki was young but they stayed in contact and he was very proud of his son.

He said Riki had a deformed hand but it did not hinder him taking up tae kwon do. He said his son loved rapping and had an unusual deep voice that would never be heard again.

Mr Mafi said Riki was proud of his Niuean heritage and wanted to learn more, but "he was robbed of his life through an act of senseless brutality".

Mr Mafi said he now felt disconnected from his family and the crime had impacted on his physical, emotional and financial well-being.

"During the hearing I was at arms length and I wanted to hurt you," he said.

He also said he was upset neither Key nor his family had apologised to them or tried to speak to them. "There has been nothing and that is the one thing that stays in my mind."

Key's lawyer Marie Dhyrberg read a brief statement from the accused's parents during the sentencing apologising to Mr Mafi's family for what happened.

Ms Dhyrberg said Key admitted he was in the group which approached Mr Mafi and had hit him at least twice, but she argued in the trial that he did not have murderous intent and there was reasonable doubt whether he struck the fatal blow to Mr Mafi.

Justice Winkelmann rejected Ms Dhyrberg's submission that Key get the standard minimum non-parole period of 10 years.

She said Mr Mafi was vulnerable when he was attacked, that Key acted as part of a group, that there was a degree of premeditation, and that such acts of street violence needed to be deterred.

"You didn't check who he was, you simply swung your bat. The attack only ended when you were pulled away by others in your group," she said.

"Our streets should be safe to walk, and no family should have to go through what the family of Mr Mafi went through."

Justice Winkelmann said Mr Mafi did not run away when approached by Key and his colleagues as he was unthreatening and had no reason to suspect he was in danger.

"It is apparent from the information that I have read that your actions, which can be described as cruel and cowardly, have ripped this family apart," she said.

"The devastation that the loss of Riki has caused their family is palpable."

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