Government stand on victims’ rights hollow - Ryall

The National Party’s accusing the Government of offering nothing more than lip service to the victims of crime after the early release of a convicted rapist.

The criticism comes in the wake of a complaint lodged with the Corrections Department by a Mosgiel woman, who says the man convicted of abusing and raping her over a 10 year period was released early from prison without her knowledge.

“Time and time again we’re given assurances by this Government that it’s taking victims’ rights seriously, but here’s yet more clear evidence it is not,” says the National Party’s Corrections spokesman Tony Ryall.

According to reports, the first time the woman knew her attacker was on the streets was when he was spotted by her mother in town.

“You’d think the laws of common decency might apply here.

“This woman who’d been terrorised by this man, deserved to be told of his release,” Mr Ryall says.

The man was due to be freed in late December, but that date was brought
forward by two weeks because of Christmas.

“It’s another example of a badly managed system, that’s being administered poorly,” says Mr Ryall.

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