‘Idiotic’ Bail For Pedophile To Be Appealed

Media Release 19 Dec 2015
Family First NZ is labelling a decision by Judge Anna Johns to bail a pedophile back to his home right next door to the victim’s home as idiotic, traumatic for the family and victim, and exposes flaws in our bail laws that even allow this to happen.

“A situation like this simply re-victimises the child, is hugely traumatic for the family trying to recover from the offences committed previously, and sends a message to the community that the rights of offenders are greater than the rights of victims,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“Bail is a privilege, not a right – and it should not be granted at the expense of the victims and their families. For this horrific child abuse, the offender receives a punishment of celebrating Christmas at home, while the abuse will impact the child for the rest of her life.”

Family First NZ will seek permission from the family to write to the Solicitor General and also the Minister of Justice requesting a review of this decision.

“The justice system in New Zealand is perpetuating the problem of child abuse by handing out ‘wet bus ticket’ decisions and sentences in response to cases of serious child abuse,” says Mr McCoskrie.

“It appears that the justice system in New Zealand simply doesn’t value the welfare and protection of our vulnerable young children – based on this decision. Put simply, it is an idiotic decision.”

Family First NZ has previously written to the Solicitor General asking them to appeal the sentence handed to a father who was sentenced to just a year’s home detention despite repeated assaults on his infant daughter that resulted in her legs being broken in five places, (with the appeal raising the sentence to two years 5 months). Family First also wrote to the Solicitor General to ask them to appeal the sentence of home detention handed out to a North Shore father who subjected his newborn baby to months of torture.

“As a community, we are trying to say that the abuse of our young and most vulnerable is completely unacceptable and that our responsibility as adults is even greater around these young children – yet the consequences given out by the courts are completely undermining that message.”

ENDS