Joshua Horton has not said sorry for Maaka Hakiwai’s stabbing death, Supreme Court hears

More than a year and a half after killing a teen boy over a $50 hat, a judge has questioned whether Joshua Horton has shown any remorse for his actions.

Stabbing victim Maaka Hakiwai.

A grief stricken father has described his dying son’s final moments as he lay bloodied on the footpath just metres from the family’s home.

It comes as the court heard the teen’s killer is yet to say sorry.

Stirling Hakiwai said his world changed forever when he received a call from his eldest son Nathanial, screaming he and his young brother Maaka had been stabbed while waiting at a Kings Park bus stop in September 2019.

“I ran outside the house to see blood all over Nathanial … Maaka was face down and not speaking,” Mr Hakiwai told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Joshua Horton – a complete stranger to the brothers – was earlier this year found guilty of manslaughter and intentionally causing serious injury after stabbing the siblings after a fight about a $50 baseball cap.

Chol Kur and another male – who cannot be named because he was a minor at the time of the attack – each pleaded guilty to one count of robbery.

Mr Hakiwai said he has been plagued by feelings of helplessness and regret that he could not save his sons.

Killer Joshua Horton. Picture : NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Nathanial, who was lucky to survive his injuries after he was stabbed twice in the leg, said Horton and his co-accused had ruined so many lives, “including their own”.

The court heard the unprovoked attack – which was over in just 16 seconds – was sparked after the offenders decided they wanted to steal Nathanial’s “crusty old work hat”.

“Maaka lost his life for nothing,” Nathanial said.

“You think people can’t be that evil, but yes they can,” he said.

Little sister Kiripaeahi Hakiwai, just seven years old, said she missed her brother Maaka every day.

“I remember crying at his funeral because I couldn’t see him again,”

“I could only see him in the ground or up in the sky,” she wrote.

“My brother was killed by a very very bad person.”

Stabbing victim Maaka Hakiwai.

It comes as Justice Andrew Tinney questioned whether Horton had shown any remorse for his fatal actions.

Justice Tinney said more than a year and a half after the attack the now 20-year-old has not been able to say sorry.

“He was not even able to say, I’m incredibly sorry for what I did, I’m devastated that … I destroyed that life and destroyed the life of that family,” Justice Tinney said.

“Is there really anything that points clearly to his being remorseful for what he had done?” Justice Tinny said.

The court heard Horton was a “high risk” of reoffending.

Defence barrister Sam Norton, for Horton, said this was a “sad case” for all involved.

“It’s a sad situation that an 18-year-old commits a crime like this,” Mr Norton said.

The court heard Horton’s childhood had been disruptive, marred by drugs and a limited education.

The plea hearing continues.