Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Narcissists and bullies

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  • Russell Brown,

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    Okay, here's where Hales called himself a rapist, back in August. And still the police just did the hand-wringing?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    "Leaving aside that what is being described here is very clearly rape, it seems pretty clear that it's also making an intimate visual recording without consent in terms of s 216 of the Crimes Act."

    Also, honestly, two years?

    What do you think the penalty for taking upskirt photographs should be?

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Kate Hannah,

    The 'brave enough' statements absolutely killed me last night; I had to turn the TV off. I couldn't stand that a grown man was laying blame for the inability to prosecute at the feet of victimised children.

    And to be honest, when I escaped a bad experience in a car with some boys when I was 15, telling my big brother and knowing those boys got the shit kicked out of them was the MOST empowering thing ever.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2010 • 107 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Well, it is what I would do, and I could guarantee I could get 100 people to say i was with them the whole time.

    You'd probably still go to jail, if both of these statements aren't bullshit, which I think is more likely. You'd hardly be the first father to have violent revenge fantasies, but why do you think no one acts on them? Because the kind of crime you are talking about is not easy to get away with, and probably wouldn't solve the problem, and would have a really good chance of creating new problems. Do you really want to get into a tit-for-tat revenge cycles against a bunch of young thugs who like raping girls? That's a fuxored idea on every level.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    I am all for observing the law and protecting civil liberties, but sometimes .. not for arrogant thugs such as these.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh,

    An apology?

    But, NZ Herald, what's with the stupid "Censored" graphic? I find it hard to think of a less appropriate graphic for this story.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Well, it is what I would do, and I could guarantee I could get 100 people to say i was with them the whole time.

    This isn't "Murder on the Orient Express" where - spoiler alert! - everyone is in on it. This is the real world where not everyone will lie or perjure themselves to protect you from a criminal prosecution.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    An apology?

    Here's the original relay of the apology to which the Herald is referring.


    Yah, whatever....

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    Yeah and there was only 12 conspirators in that story, not 100, which even then stretched the boundaries of credibility.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Telfar Barnard, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    When my childhood commune’s paedophile was discovered, the mother and uncle of one of the girls went round to his house and beat him hard. I heard they broke his glasses and knocked out a tooth. The daughter of the woman who did the beating was not happy about it at the time. I don’t know how she feels about it now. Certainly if her mother had been arrested, it would not have made things better for anyone. So don’t assume that it’s what your child would want, or will want to remember some years from now.

    The paedophile was also banished from the commune. And yet after he left, he went on to assault and rape other girls in other locations. So don’t kid yourself that beating someone up is going to stop them from doing the same thing again.

    At the time (early 80s) the commune decided not to go to the police, on the basis that they were concerned about what sort of treatment the girls would receive in the justice system.

    For me, through the twelve years it took me to become “brave enough” (though at the time it felt like “weak enough”, but that’s a different point) to report the abuse to the police, and even after the paedophile had been sent to prison for four years, that beating felt like the closest thing I got to justice. But it only felt that way because the other sources of justice were delayed and unsatisfactory. Going round and beating up the perpetrator might relieve your anger, but it doesn’t solve either of the three real problems: If you really care for your children, then (as Emma recommends) look after your child’s needs. If you have the energy, (as James Butler recommends) advocate for better justice system treatment of such cases. and third, support programmes that reduce the likelihood of such offending occurring in the first place, whether by empowering the would-be victims, or by preventing people becoming offenders.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Thomas,

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    The internet's way of saying, no shit sherlock.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 317 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Lucy Telfar Barnard,

    Tautoko.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Hales on Hi5:

    Dreams: To become a Police officer.. If not then a famous Singer/Rapper

    Delusional.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Greg Dawson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Hales on Hi5:

    Dreams: To become a Police officer.. If not then a famous Singer/Rapper

    He spelt it wrong.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 294 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to Mark Thomas,

    The internet’s way of saying, no shit sherlock.

    Well, I just voted: "it should at least be investigated further", and it's unchanged, so I think the Herald are playing with you.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • DMC, in reply to Russell Brown,

    It's hard not to struggle with the Police perspective at the moment, especially after Central District Commander Superintendent Russell Gibson described a girl as a "willing party" to two years of sexual abuse from a married male family friend. The girl was 10 years of age at the time. That 'brave' girl deserved so much more from NZ Police as do these girls.

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2013 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    What do you think the penalty for taking upskirt photographs should be?

    ah no, that wasn't a comment on the length of the sentence for that part of the crimes act. That was a comment on the police knowing about these activities for two years and just sitting and waiting for a 'brave girl' to come lay a complaint.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Brodie Davis,

    None of this is ok, from the guys actions, to the polices in-action.

    I thought statutory rape was something the police were able to prosecute without a complaint being laid?

    Since Aug 2008 • 54 posts Report Reply

  • Rageaholic,

    I genuinely don’t understand why no charges can be laid unless a victim makes a complaint. Is this specific to rape? Obviously it cannot apply to murder charges, and I assume that most drug busts are not the result of a victim complaining about drugs to the police. Also, if a police officer sees someone smashing a shop window, do they let them carry on unless someone formally reports it?*

    *Please note: these examples are NOT analogies to rape – they are just crimes I thought of off the top of my head where the police might press charges without a victim’s complaint.

    Eden • Since Nov 2010 • 20 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Rageaholic,

    I genuinely don’t understand why no charges can be laid unless a victim makes a complaint.

    A lawyer could tell us if it's not possible at all to lay charges, but it's fairly obviously very impractical to use a witness upon which the whole case hinges, if they are unwilling. They could deny the whole thing even happened to avoid the shame of the proceedings.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant, in reply to Rageaholic,

    I genuinely don’t understand why no charges can be laid unless a victim makes a complaint.

    Well, it makes it very difficult to bring a successful prosecution in a rape case (and its difficult enough when the victim is willing to testify, because rapists love to put their victims on trial). But given what's been said publicly, they should be able to start with conspiracy to commit rape (7 year sentence) and move on from there.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Telfar Barnard,

    Sooo... the police say charges could be laid if someone else witnessed it. Where are the calls for some member of the group to be "brave enough" to come forward and testify against his friends?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Joseph Parker’s Ask.fm page

    Beriah Hales’ Ask.fm page, in which he admits to having sex with a 14 year-old, along with several other men.

    Exactly how much evidence do the police need?

    It seems that some of these encounters maye have been consensual, which may be clouding the picture a little for police. But a 14 year-old?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Brodie Davis, in reply to Idiot Savant,

    Well, it makes it very difficult to bring a successful prosecution in a rape case (and its difficult enough when the victim is willing to testify, because rapists love to put their victims on trial). But given what’s been said publicly, they should be able to start with conspiracy to commit rape (7 year sentence) and move on from there.

    But haven't they posted photos and videos showing the events taking place. Surely in those (and unposted videos seized via a warrant) there would be enough to convict them on a couple of charges.

    Since Aug 2008 • 54 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to Rageaholic,

    I genuinely don’t understand why no charges can be laid unless a victim makes a complaint. Is this specific to rape?

    According to the just-released statement from Police, the Facebook site "did not provide evidence that could be put before a court".

    Presumably it's evidence of that nature which would be relied on if the victims aren't willing to make statements and if the men themselves won't make official statements. (Screw calling them 'boys', as far as I'm concerned, if they're 17+.)

    Any ideas of why Facebook bragging would be inadmissable or unsuitable?

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

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