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Gang prospects jailed nine years for sexually violating tourist

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Fri, 13 Nov 2009 4:46p.m.

Judge Peter Rollo also sentenced them to four years' imprisonment for aggravated robbery to be served concurrently.

Judge Peter Rollo also sentenced them to four years' imprisonment for aggravated robbery to be served concurrently.

A Japanese tourist was brutally raped and robbed in her bedroom by two teenage gang prospects, as her Opotiki host family watched television in another room.

Today her attackers Ranginui Rahi, 18, and Mark Hati, 16, both of Opotiki, were convicted and sentenced in Whakatane District Court to nine years' imprisonment for rape and sexual violation.

Judge Peter Rollo also sentenced them to four years' imprisonment for aggravated robbery to be served concurrently.

"It was a disgusting, brutal, degrading crime – a prolonged and violent attack on a young Japanese tourist to our country," Judge Rollo said.

He said Hati and Rahi had damaged their 22-year-old victim's mana as well as physically injuring her internally and externally.

"You treated her with degrading violence for your own sexual pleasure."

Flanked by police officers, the teenagers stood with blank faces and hands clasped in front of them as the judge told how they broke into the Ford Street house on the night of August 31.

Rahi was armed with a baseball bat while Hati had a piece of firewood.

Judge Rollo said they saw the host family watching TV and crept into the girl's room to steal a laptop they had seen through the window.

Finding her in the room, they shut the door and each raped her several times and forced her to perform oral sex on them, all the while threatening her and searching the room for valuables, Judge Rollo said.

The pair were caught by police two days later and entered guilty pleas soon after.

The judge said Hati had been prospecting for the Mongrel Mob since he was 13 and said he expected to become a patched member as a result of this act when he was released from prison.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Standen said police would convey the outcome to the victim, who was still in New Zealand, as soon as she could be contacted and they had also been in touch with the Japanese Consulate.

NZPA
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Comments

10 Jan 2010 06:21p.m.

All 4 tougher sentences wrote:

Population has everything to do with it, more people more crime, that is just simple common sense, but i agree that nz is extremely bad for the small population we have compared to the states,so simple mathmatics proves that this country is becomung worse because our goverment here are very weak in allowing our country to be run by the doo gooder's & very soft judges, it's high time to silence the doo gooder's & get tough

01 Jan 2010 06:20p.m.

mark c wrote:

As a kiwi living in the States for the last decade, I can say that violent crime is generally far worse in NZ considering the size of the population.
The country is a filthy disgrace!!! and that's praising it!!! The sentencing is almost as bad as the crimes!

28 Dec 2009 07:28p.m.

kiwi76 wrote:

New Zealand is not a disgusting country! There are only a handful of crimes commited compared to the most violent Nation in the world..The U.S.A, and poulation has nothing to do with it. Do not hang everyone in NZ because of the people who comit viloent acts. And you will only see crime in NZ on NZ websites, not on Yahoo, CBS, Fox news etc.

16 Dec 2009 02:52p.m.

Bob wrote:

Anyone choosing to go to nz deserves what they get. Sorry but the violence in nz is well published online and tourists, foreign students, and immigrants really should do their homework first.

Japan should put a travel ban in place in light of the stark contrast in safety and attitudes between it and nz.

What a disgraceful little country. And everyone paying tax in nz is to blame for funding the welfare.

02 Dec 2009 02:50a.m.

Jan.. wrote:

You just come on home KiwiKathy we need all the support our country needs..

24 Nov 2009 01:33p.m.

Miss Kahungunu wrote:

The Opotiki mongrel mob chapter have got brains the size of a f***** peanut if they give those little boys a patch especially after performing such a disgraceful cowardly act. Shoot the little b******s!!!!!!

24 Nov 2009 11:47a.m.

kiwikathy wrote:

Maybe I should change my mind about moving back to NZ to retire. I can't believe the amount of violence in NZ. What is wrong down there? The tug to join family is huge but at what cost? Do you all live in fear? Tell me it's worth coming back. I'm beginning to feel very sad. Are we heading like the States? People may feel they need to arm themselves against these pathetic creatures. What are some kids being taught at home these days or are they? Kids need to be taught respect, not just for elders but for themselves. Most of these creatures can't like themselves to allow themselves to be persuaded by these gangs. Whatever happened to self-respect? Don't they care who they are? Make your families proud by showing the right example. Maybe Mum & Dad should take a good look at themselves!!!

24 Nov 2009 08:49a.m.

Andrew wrote:

Shelly (14 Nov) asks how they would feel if someone were to do this to their mother, sister or grandmother. The reality is, they themselves would be quite prepared to desecrate their own female family members if they thought they could get away with it. They are cowards who pick on those weaker than themselves and are quite likely to perpetrate the same atrocities on anyone in jail who is smaller or weaker than they are. They are lower than the lowest animals and execution would be too merciful for them.

23 Nov 2009 07:32p.m.

Jan.. wrote:

Here goes our children, straight to jail for the rape of a Japanese girl where is it come from ,nowhere, and this the first we ever heard of a Japan girl been raped by our country men..
Are you stopping the Japanese becoming our leader, are you scared of the Japanese taken over the world along with the Chinese and South and the Northern Koreans and the rest are blacks plus our european pakehas blood, look at Yougoslavia people were driven away from there own country, rights and home.. What colour are the Yougslavia? and what colour were or are the jews? They were driven out of there home and there rights in brought day light..The terrorist are everywhere..

23 Nov 2009 01:02p.m.

Tans wrote:

Sickening story, I hear grown men like the back door of little boys like you, have fun while in jail and dont forget to smile.