Getting it Right

28/05/2014

Sensible Sentencing Trust is praising Judge Kevin Phillips who is another recent Justice to take a hardline when granting name suppression to child-sex abusers.

“This is just evident that our Justice system is finally taking note of what the community wants and needs to protect them against child-sex predators,” Nadia Crighton SST Spokesperson for the Prevention of Child Abuse says.

The former teacher, David Russell Bond, 62, was convicted of indecently assaulting a boy at Wanaka on or before May 18, 1975 on a school-tramping trip.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/303823/teacher-expresses-remorse-over-sex-offence

Judge Phillips rejected a submission for final name suppression stating that there was a strong public interest in the publication of names of people who are guilty of this type of offending. He also noted that non-publication could bring others into suspicion.

“This is another hopeful example that things are going to change in our legal system and case law will now set the appropriate benchmark for handing out name suppression,” Crighton says.

He was sentenced to four months' home detention and 100 hours' community work and has been ordered to pay $4000 emotional harm reparation.

The 14-year-old boy had come forward at the time of the incident but nothing was done. The victim wanted his abusers name to be made public.

“We know that when sexual predators have their names revealed, more victims come forward,” Crighton says. “This is not about naming and shaming as many MPs would like to spin, this is about protecting the public, and preventing the re-victimisation of those who have been abused.

“The shame of sexual abuse should never be put on the child. Name suppression keeps the veil of secrecy around child-sexual abuse and puts the shame on the child instead of the perpetrator. Hopefully this is a sign of the changing times.”

ENDS

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