Anniversary of RSA tragedy

Tomorrow marks anniversary of RSA tragedy and renewed call for Sex Offender Register

7th December 2015
14 years after one of New Zealand’s worst multiple killings by an offender on parole the Sensible Sentencing Trust is asking what has changed.

On 8th December 2001 William Bell, who had been released from prison on parole, killed three law-abiding innocent citizens in the Mt. Wellington / Panmure RSA and left Susan Couch struggling for her life.

A long drawn-out legal battle resulted in a settlement for Sue Couch and the murdered victims’ families.

The Founder of the Sensible Sentencing Trust, Garth McVicar, who instigated the legal action, says many of the deep-rooted systemic ideologies that contributed to the RSA tragedy are still enshrined into New Zealand’s criminal justice system.

“While SST has given victims a voice and driven many changes the criminal friendly mentality is still very pervasive.”

“Dangerous criminals are still being released on Parole and bail is still being granted for far too many defendants charged with violent offences.”

McVicar said the last fourteen years had taught him that New Zealand’s horrific level of child abuse and paedophilia was the principle driver of crime in this country.

“A child who has been sexually or physically abused has had their world annihilated and faith in those who are meant to protect them destroyed forever – and is 18 times more likely to commit crime!”

“While Parliament is presently considering introducing a child sex-offender register, submissions from the Law Society and others were conclusive evidence that the offender friendly mentality that ultimately resulted in the RSA tragedy was still very widespread.”

“Children are sacrosanct; they are our future, until the laws of New Zealand reflect this fact and empower the public to be the eyes and ears for the Police many more William Bells will be churned out by our offender friendly, criminal centered legal process.”

"“To call this facade a justice system is an absolute insult to the integrity of every New Zealand and a blatant offence to the many victims who have been abused by this charade.”

Sensible Sentencing Trust has recently revamped its offender data base, www.sst.org.nz and is renewing its call for a Government sponsored publicly available offender data-base to ensure the safety and protection of law abiding citizens is of paramount consideration.

“The lessons learnt in the RSA tragedy must never be forgotten.

"We remember the victims and their families and the team of lawyers who made the legal action possible."

ends

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