Two jailed for rape

Press, 16 May 1978, Page 2

Two jailed for rape

PA

Auckland

Lack of supervision of young men living in a bush workers’ camp led to the rape of a 16-year-old girl, the Supreme Court at Auckland was told yesterday. Hoani John Hata t, aged 19, and Kelvin Rota, aged 20, had both been convicted of raping the girl in Murupara on November 18, and were appearing in Court for sentence.

Counsel, Mr P.. East, of Rotorua, told the Chief Justice (Sir Ronald Davison)

that youths aged 15 and 16 living in the camp at Murupara had nothing to do after work except drink. About 100 men living in the camp had nothing provided by their employer after- they ended their day’s work in the bush, he said. The hotel was the only place provided and both men charged had been drinking, along with the girl, before the events.

He was making submissions for the accused, who were each jailed for four years when they appeared for sentence yesterday on

charges of raping the 16-year-old girl. They were con® victed after a trial at Rotorua.

Mr East said not all blame should fall on the two men: if there had been some control thev would never have come before the court. His honour said he was disturbed by the circumstances of the events and that young people of 16 were going into hotels.

His Honour said both men chased the girl and forced her into the porch of a deserted house where both men raped her twice.