Three Strikes legislation captures Sexual Predator and protects elderly women

31st March 2015

“Three strikes was always primarily about protection of the community first and foremost - in this case that means protection of elderly women from sexual assault. If the system can succeed where it has failed so many times before and rehabilitates him, well and good. If not, three strikes will ensure that he spends most of the rest of his life behind bars, and we make no apology for celebrating that.” McVicar

Sensible Sentencing Trust applauds the 12 years nine months jail sentence handed down to a man who sexually assaulted an 87 year old woman in her home – the longest sentence yet imposed on a “second striker”. Hugh Hemi Tuatua Tareha committed the offence while on parole, and only one day after meeting with the Parole Board, whose members said he appeared to be complying well with his parole conditions.

“This guy is exactly the kind of dangerous perverted mongrel three strikes was designed to capture” said Trust founder Garth McVicar.

“He clearly fooled the Parole Board twice: firstly when they decided he could be released after serving only one year of a sentence of three years and nine months for assaulting and robbing another elderly woman, and secondly when he appeared before the Board the day before his latest outrageous crime” Mc Vicar said.

“A psychiatrist says his offending was escalating, and tended to involve elderly women. Because of the three strikes law, old ladies will be safe from this predator for the full 12 years and nine months of his sentence, and not released on parole again, as he has been many times before” McVicar said.

“He apparently has mental health issues, which in the Judge’s view may not have been adequately addressed by the system before. Well, the Corrections Department now has almost 13 years to asses and treat his problems, and we sincerely hope they do” said McVicar. “If not, and he offends again in this way, he can expect to go to jail for 20 years without parole, which hopefully will be the end of his offending years.” said McVicar.

“This case also neatly illustrates how three strikes fills a gap in the law. The Crown applied for preventive detention for this guy which the Judge declined to impose. If it hadn’t been for three strikes, he would probably be out on parole again half way through his latest sentence, and elderly women would clearly be at risk from the day he got out” said McVicar.

“Three strikes was always primarily about protection of the community first and foremost - in this case that means protection of elderly women from sexual assault. If the system can succeed where it has failed so many times before and rehabilitates him, well and good. If not, three strikes will ensure that he spends most of the rest of his life behind bars, and we make no apology for celebrating that.”

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