Two men imprisoned for rape, assault

Press, 19 February 1986, Page 4

Two men imprisoned for rape, assault

PA Auckland Two men who raped a woman after accosting her in a city street were sentenced to 5y 2 years and 41/2 years imprisonment respectively. In the rape, the woman suffered severe grazing to the legs from being dragged across the footpath of Khyber Pass Road in the early hours of January 11. She was beaten a number of times about the head, suffering swelling and bruising. James Henry Clayton, aged 20, a doormaker, of no fixed abode, admitted raping the woman and carrying a steel rod and inflicting some injuries on her.

He was sentenced to 5 l / 2 years imprisonment by Mr Justice Barker in the High Court at Auckland.

Lawrence Allen Walsh, aged 23, a fitter and welder, of Glen Eden, ad-

mltted raping the woman and was sentenced to 4y 2 years imprisonment. His Honour accepted that Walsh did not use a weapon in committing the offence. He said the complainant was walking along Khyber Pass Road with a friend when she was accosted by Clayton, who dragged her into a side street, tore off her clothes and raped her. She was then raped by Walsh. Both men had no previous history of sexual or violent offending. His Honour said he intended making a tangible reduction in their sentences for their early pleas of guilty, which meant the complainant did not have to relive the experience while giving evidence in court. Had they not pleaded guilty, he said, Clayton would have been given a term of 7i/ 2 years and Walsh a term of 6i/ 2 years imprisonment. Defence counsel, Mr Charles Cato, said Clayton had been drinking for a long time before the offence, which was an esca-

pade which got out of hand. Clayton was distraught at what he had done. For Walsh, Mr Mark Vickerman said Walsh had been drinking since a bitter separation from his girlfriend. Walsh, he said, had given himself up to the police, was disgusted by his behaviour, and adamant he was not responsible for the women’s injuries.