New Zealand needs stronger laws that hold baby bashers to account, sentences that will lock offenders up and provide justice for the young defenceless victims, says Darroch Ball co-leader of Sensible Sentencing Trust.

“The latest Hamilton assault leaving a three-week old baby with critical injuries is just one of far too many instances in New Zealand where our vulnerable young children are beaten, abused, and killed.”

“There should be no discounts or reductions in sentences for those who are found guilty of physically assaulting, abusing, injuring or killing a child; nor should there be an option for home detention.”

“We need to allow the law to be applied on behalf of the voiceless and vulnerable babies who are being abused in New Zealand at unacceptably high numbers.”

“Our courts are full of discounts and reductions given to offenders through the likes of culture reports, early guilty pleas, personal life-history, and so-called remorse.”

“The fact is our sentencing across the board has become a distant shadow of what the law’s original intent was designed for. The system has become more and more offender-centric and there is little, if any focus on accountability for offender’s actions, and often a sense of justice for victims is non-existent," says Mr Ball.

“This needs to change - in particular with the application of the law for child abusers.”

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