Prison for indecency

Press, 18 February 1989, Page 6

Prison for indecency

A Maori social worker convicted of indecently assaulting two 16-year-old girls in his care was sent to prison for nine months by Judge Hattaway in the District Court yesterday. The Judge told Arthur Carr Kapa, aged 58 (Mr M. J. Knowles), that while he did not doubt that he had helped a large number of young difficult people in need, and that he was an otherwise respected member of the community, he had seriously breached a position

of trust in relation to the two girls. Mr Knowles had called four witnesses to refute allegations contained in a departmental report which were antagonistic to his client. After evidence had been given by a representative of the Matua Whangi organisation, Mr Knowles, in his submissions, claimed that on the facts of the case prison was not justified. He sought a sentence of supervision.

If Kapa were sent to prison he would be given “martyr” status by many of the young people he had helped over the years, said Mr Knowles. Imprisonment of his client could also make the lives of the two complainants more unhappy than ever; one of whom had stated that she did not want to see the defendant behind bars. The Judge said supervision was an unrealistic recommendation.