A Napier man has walked free after a two-and-a-half year ordeal in which he was wrongfully sentenced to 11 years in jail for allegations of domestic and sexual abuse made by his partner.
Timothy Hebberley, who was 21 when the sentence was imposed in May 2017 despite his denials and split verdicts at a trial earlier that year, won an appeal when the convictions and sentence were quashed in the Court of Appeal three weeks ago.
He was released immediately on bail pending decisions on a retrial, but in the High Court in Napier today prosecutor Jo Reilly revealed the Crown was not proceeding and Hebberley was discharged on all counts.
The Court of Appeal decision, suppressed pending the outcome, was not immediately available but the Appeal was based on new evidence.
Hebberley had faced 28 charges alleging offences ranging from rape to threats and assault. He was found guilty on 13.
The Court of Appeal sent nine back to the High Court, but the remaining four had already seen time-served, with a sentence of 12 months that was concurrent with the major penalty.
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