Rape accused student back at school

Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft said that while he could only speak in general terms, such a situation was very unusual.

The female judge's decision to send an alleged rapist back to the same school as his victim is beyond comprehension and against protections contained in various human rights legislation. The judiciary is out of step with mainstream thinking.The poor family must be livid with a clearly dysfunctional justice system!

http://stuff.co.nz/4661611a11.html


Rape accused student back at school
Decision slammed by principals
Tuesday, 19 August 2008


A judge's decision to allow a Waikato schoolboy accused of raping a fellow student to return to the school lacked common sense, the secondary schools principals' association says.

Association president Peter Gall said the principal involved was angry about the unexpected bail ruling.

The Education Ministry is paying for a teacher aide at a cost of up to $20 an hour.

A ministry spokesman said the teacher-aide was paid from the ministry's $2 million Interim Response Fund.

Mr Gall told Radio New Zealand some common sense should have prevailed when making the decision, as it was unacceptable for an alleged rapist to be allowed back into the school that a victim attends.

The 14-year-old boy appeared in the Hamilton Youth Court this month charged with raping a 16-year-old girl who attended the same high school as him.

He was granted bail by Judge Denise Clark, allowing him to return to school.

The boy, school, accused and alleged victim cannot be named under Youth Court rules.

The alleged rapist turned up at school the day after the ruling.

Two female staff took the girl off site until the principal could manage the situation.

He then suspended the boy and the school board met and agreed to extend the suspension until the court case was resolved.

The Education Ministry has agreed to provide teacher aide funding for the boy and meet his educational costs.

Mr Gall said the boy had a teacher aide, and other help to make sure his education continued.

Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft said that while he could only speak in general terms, such a situation was very unusual.

He said judges took such bail decisions very seriously, but in the end the court relied on information provided to it, especially from the police.

The boy will reappear in the Youth Court in October for a depositions hearing.

- NZPA with the Waikato Times