An 18-year-old girl told of her anger at being raped by two men on Woodend Beach but did not stay at court to see them both jailed for nearly a decade.
Justice David Gendall said the girl – only 16 when the rapes took place – had shown “considerable courage” in reading her victim statement in court.
She remained poised throughout, though her anger showed through at times.
She explained she was now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, had anxiety attacks in public, and found it hard to trust people, especially men.
“I want to get strong again. That’s my goal to become a complete person,” she told the High Court at Christchurch. Then she addressed the two men in the dock directly. “I hope your sentence by the judge will be longer than mine.”
She was at court with a group of family and supporters and initially sat to see the men sentenced, but left when the offending in May 2014 was being described by the judge.
Isaac Jason Mould, 21, from Woodend, was jailed for nine years six months, and Troy Matua McIver, 21, a rigger, faces a nine-year term.
They were found guilty of rape at the end of a 13-day trial in November. Three other men charged with sex offences, or as parties to the offending, were acquitted at the same trial.
Crown prosecutor Deidre Orchard argued that even though the rapes took place separately, it was akin to a situation with multiple offenders – an aggravating factor under the sentencing guidelines.
Counsel for Mould, Tony Greig, said Mould had “acted alone” and later “someone did something else”.
For McIver, defence counsel Steve Hembrow said there had been no-one else present when his part of the incident occurred. He asked that any sentence not be “crushing” and said that he did not believe McIver would ever appear before the court again.
Justice Gendall said the girl had been the only female present at the bonfire gathering on Woodend Beach, apart from a girl who arrived later with her boyfriend. She had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol before McIver walked her into the sand dunes where she was held down and raped. She had been fighting and struggling and was left with marks on her body where she had been held down.
The attack had caused her “immense harm”, he said. She had been a vulnerable victim, as a high school girl in the presence of older men. The judge told the men: “She had been drinking and was out of her depth. Both of you took full advantage of her vulnerability”.
She had gone to the bonfire because she thought she was amongst friends.
There were three other males present when Mould raped her. “The indignity she suffered being raped in front of other males cannot be overstated.” By the time McIver raped her, she was tired of struggling and resigned to her fate.
The judge gave both men a first strike warning that imposes heavier penalties on repeat offenders.
He reduced their sentences because of their age, but Mould did not get the full reduction because of his previous offending.
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