A 20-year-old man previously jailed for manslaughter has had 20 months added to his sentence for a vicious assault just a week before the fatal stabbing.

Freeman-Jack Pene, 20, earlier admitted wounding a victim at a party in the Far North town of Moerewa on May 30, 2020.

On June 7, 2020, at another party in Moerewa, Pene fatally stabbed Northland 18-year-old Krillin Koni Brown and assaulted Koni Brown’s younger sister.

Koni Brown was described by family as a hard-working young man with a compassionate heart.

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Pene was sent to prison for manslaughter for four years and two months in December 2021. He is still serving his minimum non-parole period.

In the Whangārei District Court on Friday, he had 20 months added to his sentence for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, in relation to the May 2020 assault.

Court documents show Pene and another offender attacked the unnamed victim as he tried to leave the party, with Pene kicking the victim in the head.

The victim was then punched repeatedly in the head, suffering 30 to 40 blows before the victim’s cousin intervened and helped him to escape.

The victim’s left eye was swollen shut for several days and he suffered a split lip and extensive bruising, which was visible to police almost two weeks after the assault.

Judge John McDonald started with a sentence of three years, nine months, giving a discount for Pene’s guilty plea, a well as the fact his co-offender was convicted of a lessor charge.

The sentence is to be served cumulative to, or on top of, the manslaughter sentence.