Northland Man Up mentor Shayne Dempster sentenced for threats, assault of wife
Shayne Dempster, a mentor for the Destiny Church's 'Man Up' program, has been sentenced for assaulting his wife and threatening to kill her. The conviction follows a domestic dispute involving farm animals and the discovery of unsecured firearms at his property.
Why it matters
The case is notable due to the defendant's public role as a mentor for men struggling with violence, highlighting a significant contradiction between his public advocacy and private actions.
Shayne Dempster says he is a Destiny Church Man Up facilitator who helps men turn their lives around, even gang members trying to step away from violence.
But after the collapse of his 35-year marriage, and a dispute over goats, he has been convicted of violence and threatening to kill his wife.
The convictions follow guilty verdicts delivered by a Whangārei jury in June for assault on a person in a family relationship, threats to kill, and unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm.
By September 2024, his marriage had deteriorated so badly that he and his wife were barely speaking, and Dempster had shifted to another house on the farm while still keeping most of his belongings in the marital home.
The farm had a goat-milking operation and, on 30 December, 2024, Dempster's wife and daughter were out running a herd.
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