Latest news with #sexualoffending
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Wheelchair-using Northland rapist fails in bid to appeal his sentence
By Ric Stevens, Open Justice reporter of Stephen Robert Wilson statutory release date is in March 2030. Photo: 123RF WARNING: This article deals with the topic of sexual offending and may be distressing for some readers. Three-time convicted rapist Stephen Robert Wilson has used a wheelchair throughout all his years in prison. Now, seven years into his sentence, he has tried to appeal his jail term, arguing that he should have received a lighter sentence because of his disability, which he said was caused by an injury he got in a prison van. The Court of Appeal has turned him down, and in doing so has detailed a history of scepticism from people who have dealt with Wilson about whether his disability is genuine. The Court of Appeal noted that "no physical origin" had been diagnosed for his symptoms, which doctors have suggested might have a psychological cause. The Parole Board has also declined to release Wilson this year, more than halfway through his 12-year, eight-month jail term. His statutory release date is in March 2030. Wilson was found guilty at an October 2018 trial in the Whangārei District Court of raping three women. He appeared before the jury in a wheelchair, saying he had hemiplegia - a paralysis on the right side of his body - caused by a head and spinal injury he received in 2016 when he struck the side of a prison van not long after his arrest that year. Wilson said he only had the use of his left leg and left wrist as his right arm and leg, and his upper left arm, were paralysed. He also needed to wear adult diapers. After the onset of his condition, Wilson spent about 10 months in hospital and then a rest home. He was then in a high-dependency unit at Rimutaka Prison for more than a year before he was granted electronically monitored bail in the lead-up to his trial. He has been in custody since his trial and said his condition made him vulnerable to assaults and bullying from other inmates. Wilson has already tried to appeal his convictions unsuccessfully and sought leave from the Court of Appeal this year to appeal his sentence. Usually, offenders have only 20 working days to appeal against their sentence. However, Wilson sought leave from the court to do so after seven years, arguing he never knew he could challenge his punishment on the grounds of hardship because of a disability. The sentencing judge did not give a discount for hardship and Wilson's lawyer didn't ask for one. The judge said that a probation officer's pre-sentence report had noted that Wilson had "much more mobility than you have shown when you have been in court". In seeking leave to appeal, Wilson allowed his lawyer to say why he did not seek a discount for the disability. "I recall there was always scepticism by the court, the police and the prison towards Mr Wilson's condition," lawyer Wayne McKean told the appeal court. "He did not get a lot of sympathy from prison staff while on remand." Another lawyer, Phillip Osborne, who assisted with the appeal against conviction, said he was not sure what to make of Wilson's condition because he was aware that the Department of Corrections had alleged he did have movement in the right side of his body. Corrections had produced a "movement log" to counter Wilson's assertions, he said. "I had also read psychological reports which suggested that there was no physical cause for his illness," Osborne said. The Court of Appeal justices said that two doctors who assessed Wilson's fitness for trial in 2018 considered he may have a conversion disorder or factitious disorder. A conversion disorder is a psychiatric condition where people experience symptoms without medical cause. A factitious disorder, formerly known as Munchausen syndrome, is a mental health condition where people display physical symptoms, sometimes to gain sympathy. "One of the doctors considered that his presentation at that time may have been driven by distress at his imprisonment and the possibility of secondary gain from his symptoms," the Court of Appeal decision said. "At that stage Mr Wilson was still being tested to exclude a physical origin for his symptoms. "No physical origin for his symptoms has been diagnosed to date." The Court of Appeal declined Wilson's leave to appeal his sentence. The Parole Board declined to release Wilson in April. It said he wanted to be released to the Northland region, where psychological services were limited and no counselling services were available to address his sexual offending. The board said his release proposals could not be progressed because of the risk and the level of care he required. During the Parole Board hearing, Wilson left the room and did not return. The board is due to see him again in August. If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111. This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Taranaki rapist Allan Rosewarne denied parole, remains a risk of violent, sexual reoffending
By Tara Shaskey, Open Justice reporter of Photo: 123RF Warning: This story discusses a case of extreme violence and sexual offending. Allan Neil Rosewarne has been described as a sex monster. He took control of two of his partners across 18 years, alienating them from family and friends while he regularly raped and mercilessly beat them. One was often injected with a cocktail of drugs by Rosewarne, who would then brutally violate her while she was unconscious. The other took an opportunity to run for her life along a highway and across farmland after 17 years of torture. It's now been 11 years since Rosewarne, of Taranaki, was jailed to preventive detention for his reign of rape, extreme violence, sadism and cruelty to children. But he continues to minimise the abuse, "emphatically" denies he raped his former partners, and remains a risk to the public, according to the Parole Board. Recently, the board made its second consideration of releasing Rosewarne, now 59, on parole. He became eligible for release about two years ago, but he waived his appearance before the board at his first hearing in July 2023. Late last month, he was called again, and this time he appeared. He did not want a lawyer to assist him, and he filed written submissions. Rosewarne was unsure he wanted parole but wished to know what conditions might be imposed if he did get out. However, any chance he would be freed has been shelved for at least three years, as the board declined his parole and made a postponement order so he would not have another hearing until 2028. A decision released to NZME this week detailed how Rosewarne was told at the hearing that his victims never wanted him released, and they were "doing well" despite his offending against them. In response to this, he said he only pleaded guilty because so many charges were laid against him, and he accepted a plea bargain. "He accepted that he was violent towards both his partners, although he said he only hit them with an open hand and never punched them. This is contrary to the summary of facts," the decision read. "He emphatically denied ever raping his partners. He did accept that his partners may have been scared of him, but he could not see that their fear may have led them to have sex with him despite not consenting." The decision stated that Rosewarne did not meet with the psychologist for a risk assessment before the hearing or with his case manager to assist in preparing a report for the board. He had no release proposal, and no support was referred to. However, Rosewarne has participated in three sessions of treatment with a psychologist during his time behind bars and told the board he would be willing to engage in more. The board said further treatment was needed to "begin to try and address" his offending. "We remain concerned about the risk posed by Rosewarne, given the very serious offending that he committed and his minimisation of most of that offending in our discussion today," the board wrote. "He needs to do extensive work to address both his risk of violent re-offending and his risk of sexual reoffending. He is an undue risk, and parole is declined." The board said it would not be suitable to consider him for release for another three years. In 2014, Rosewarne was sentenced in the High Court at New Plymouth to an indefinite prison term with a minimum period of imprisonment of 10 years. According to senior courts' decisions on the case at the time, he was 24 when he met his first victim, who was 15 at the time. When she moved in with him in 1990, he "had emotionally taken control of her and had alienated her from her family and friends", an earlier Court of Appeal decision, declining his appeal against sentence, read. "[He] began to subject [her] to frequent and devastating emotional, physical and sexual abuse, which escalated as time passed". Rosewarne threw her into walls, punched her repeatedly about her face and body, pulled out chunks of her hair, severely beat her with weapons, and jumped on her with both feet while she was pregnant. She received black eyes, on occasion her nose was broken, and she was subjected to "forceful and painful sexual intercourse… for lengthy periods of time". The woman escaped one day in 2007 when he fell asleep and she left, making her way along Forgotten World Highway and across farmland. Rosewarne began a 20-month relationship with his second victim around 2008. According to court documents, he also subjected her to frequent emotional, physical and sexual abuse. "Over the course of their relationship, [Rosewarne] injected her with a cocktail of drugs. He controlled what [she] took and administered the drugs to her. Often she did not know exactly what was being given to her." He often raped her while she was unconscious from the drugs. She eventually developed a substance addiction, and he would torture her with withdrawals. Rosewarne beat the woman with household objects, grabbed her by her hair and dragged her through the house, and repeatedly punched her in the head. He was also convicted on cruelty charges relating to the women's children. At the time, Rosewarne was dubbed a "sex monster" by the media that covered the case. Sexual Violence: Family Violence: If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111. - This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald
The Independent
11-07-2025
- The Independent
NHS nurse jailed for rape saved thousands of women's details from dating apps - now police appeal for more victims
A former NHS mental health nurse and priest has been jailed for raping a woman he met on a dating app - and is being investigated over further alleged sexual offending, The Independent can reveal. John Chukwunonso Iwuh, 54, of South Norwood, Croydon, used his job as a nurse to gain the trust of the victim, aged in her 40s, before luring her to his home and raping her after she rejected his advances in June 2022. Croydon Crown Court heard the victim went to the toilet and when she came out, Iwuh pushed her into the bedroom where he raped her and videoed the ordeal on his phone. During their investigation, police found almost 11,000 contacts saved on his phone - around 60 per cent of which were saved as a woman's name alongside the name of a dating app. Iwuh was jailed for 16 years for rape and voyeurism on Friday after being found guilty following a trial in May. During his sentencing hearing, it emerged that Iwuh is also facing four other allegations, three of rape, which are being investigated by police forces in Essex and Dorset. They relate to separate victims and the offences are alleged to have happened in 2019, 2007 and 2022. The 2007 case is a so-called 'cold case', and Essex police are waiting on new DNA analysis, the court heard. The new investigations are understood to have been sparked after one of the alleged victims came forward after seeing Iwuh on a Facebook group called 'Are We Dating the same man?' Now, the Metropolitan Police have issued a nationwide appeal urging any further potential victims to come forward. Detective Inspector Sharad Verma, from the South Area Command Unit, said: 'We believe there may be more victims out there, targeted by Iwuh under the same circumstances, and urge them to contact us or their local police force. 'I hope the victim-survivor can find reassurance in our actions to put this predator behind bars and that it may give more women the strength to come forward and report crimes. You will be listened to and supported.' The court heard Iwuh had been practising as an NHS mental health nurse for a decade and had also practised as a priest. Official records by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which regulates nurses, show Iwuh was suspended from practising in November 2023. In a statement from the victim of the June 2022 attack read out in court, it was revealed she suffered bruises to her body as a result of the rape. She said: 'This had a deep emotional effect on me. I felt completely numb, and my family members couldn't reach me. The physical examination after she made the allegation felt 'completely humiliating' and she said 'fear led me to leave London'. 'I kept thinking how he was still working as a psychiatric nurse. As a healthcare professional myself, that thought has been irreducibly upsetting. I later learnt his license was suspended thanks to police efforts.' 'When I learned there was a video recording of the rape, I felt physically sick.' 'When I had to watch the video of the rape at the police station, I had the exact pain like it was happening all over again.' The woman described how, having previously been a social person, she now finds excuses not to go out and said the trauma of the rape impacted her ability to work, relationships and her health. In a statement released through police after the sentencing, she said: 'Now he's in prison, I do feel there has been some justice. I've been supported by officers throughout the investigation, and I would encourage others who have been harmed to come forward, report what has happened and get help and support.' Iwuh's defence counsel, De Souza KC, revealed he had not informed his wife, with whom he had a three-year-old child, that he was facing charges and had disappeared. Iwah will be put on the sex offenders register for life, a restraining order was issued to prevent him from contacting the victim and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was enforced. Anyone who wants to make a report relating to Iwuh is urged to contact police by calling 101.
RNZ News
10-07-2025
- RNZ News
Hastings man Antony Quinney given home detention for indecent conduct with boy
By Ric Stevens, Open Justice reporter of Antony Quinney (inset) appeared for sentencing in the Napier District Court after being found guilty of sexual offences against a young boy. Photo: Open Justice Warning: This story contains details of sexual offending against a child and may be upsetting. A middle-aged man with no previous criminal history will spend the next 10 months wearing an ankle bracelet after a jury found him guilty of sexual offending against a young boy. Hastings man Anthony Raymond Quinney, 50, photographed the boy with his togs down while on an outing to Cape Kidnappers. He later indecently touched him in a bed at a motel. The Napier District Court was told on Thursday that Quinney still denied that he committed the offences after facing two charges of doing an indecent act with a boy under 12. However, a jury found earlier that Quinney did offend against the boy during a birthday trip in December 2021. "The jury did not accept your version of events was ... reasonably plausible," Judge Bridget Mackintosh told him. Judge Mackintosh said Quinney had no criminal record, financially supported his parents and had been a generous donor to charity. She told Quinney that it was difficult to see where the offending had come from, because in many respects he had been "doing the right thing". However, she said on the trip to Cape Kidnappers that Quinney had taken the boy, who was not related to him, to a secluded spot. He asked him to remove his togs and photographed him. He told the boy that he needed to practise taking photos. He later took the boy and another child that was with them to a motel, where age-appropriate activities were set up for them, including video games. However, Quinney insisted they sleep in the same bed, where indecent touching took place. Judge Mackintosh said the offending had "taken its toll" on the boy's family and a victim impact statement from his mother said the boy is now anxious and withdrawn, and demonstrating a lack of trust in men. He is receiving counselling and therapy and the "ripple effect" of the offending is affecting others in the family. Judge Mackintosh sentenced Quinney to 10 months of home detention, 80 hours of community work and ordered that he pay $5000 to the boy in reparation for emotional harm. She suggested the money might be used for continuing counselling. The judge also imposed six months of conditions after the home detention finishes, including having no unsupervised contact with people under the age of 16. Judge Mackintosh declined to add Quinney's name to the child sex offender register, saying he would be intensely monitored during his home detention and post-detention conditions. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald . If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
ABC News
04-06-2025
- General
- ABC News
Trevor Scroop faces court over multiple child sex abuse offences
A man who worked closely with South Australia's Department for Child Protection to house First Nations children has pleaded not guilty to more than 40 charges of sexual offending against minors. The court previously heard Trevor James Scroop, a former ABC employee, had access to more than 100 mostly Aboriginal children under an arrangement with SA's Department for Child Protection. The court previously heard that the 65-year-old had a formal arrangement with the department to care and house young Aboriginal boys from communities in the Northern Territory, at his Adelaide home so they could attend school. The matter has been before the court for more than 18 months but the details of the allegations can now be revealed for the first time, after the District Court removed a suppression order. Mr Scroop was arraigned in the District Court on Wednesday.
