Meeting airs frustration at justice system

BY NAOMI ARNOLD

A Nelson couple last night told of living in fear of a man who raped and threatened to kill their daughter.

It was one of many tales of frustration with the justice system heard at a meeting of the Sensible Sentencing Trust at the Nelson Suburban Club.

"Having it take so long and wait and seeing him commit another crime while he was on bail for this one – as a mother, it's gut-wrenching to have to go through this process," said the woman.

The man had seriously injured a local boy while out on bail, and he and his friends were still terrorising the family. A counsellor had suggested the family relocate.

"Why should we carry on living in fear?" the woman asked.

Part of a 90-stop South Island tour, the meeting attracted about 40 people.

Sensible Sentencing Trust Nelson branch committee member Ivan Hodges told The Nelson Mail a large percentage of the trust's 100 Nelson members had been influenced or affected by crime.

"A lot of people I've talked to at this meeting tonight might be wanting to do something, but are just not sure what."

Some answers were suggested by trust co-founder Garth McVicar, who discussed the increase in violent crime in New Zealand during the past 50 years, and pointed to the introduction of parole, the unemployment benefit and the end of national service as factors. He suggested reintroducing national service to instil discipline and respect for authority in young people, and introducing cheap and basic "tent city" prisons.

He said the mood in New Zealand was changing.

"Legislation is the principal driver of crime and we're getting a lot of legislation changes," he said.

"Our job is to stir the debate, get it going, and the politicians will dabble in the waters once it's safe for them."

Although the trust is not affiliated to any political party, ACT New Zealand MP David Garrett spoke about his party's three-strikes sentencing policy, which the trust supports.

Students Against Violence Everywhere chairman Johny O'Donnell said afterwards the meeting had been "an eye-opener in quite a negative way".

"There are some really sad stories out there, some really horrible things happening and some real problems with our justice system," he said.

However, he said the National Government was threatening to cut violence prevention programmes that were working really well, such as the It's Not OK campaign.

"That's been a $4 million campaign and ask any agency or social worker – they've seen huge turnarounds in stopping violence."

He rejected the idea that young people needed national service, saying it was "a real step backwards".

"It's going back to really old times and it's such a negative idea. It reminds me of redneck opinions and a complete stereotype of young people, who are finally becoming a bit more valued in society."

Hope mother Judy Ashton, a driver in setting up the Nelson branch, told the audience that 3 1/2 years ago, she "had no reason to doubt that the primary goal of the police and Corrections was to ensure that public safety was paramount.

"But Debbie's needless, tragic and devastating death was to change that perception."

Debbie Ashton was killed in a head-on collision 3 1/2 years ago by disqualified driver Jonathan Allan Barclay, who was in the police witness protection programme.

Barclay had been charged with driving offences before, but under two different names, and his sentencing judge was not told that.

Debbie's death had "totally devastated my life", Mrs Ashton told the Mail.

The trust, representing Mrs Ashton and the family of murdered man Karl Kuchenbecker, has started private proceedings against Corrections and the police under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

"It's taking a stand and saying to them, `You stuffed up. You've acknowledged you've stuffed up, but nobody's been held accountable', and I can't accept that," Mrs Ashton said.

"It's to shake them up a bit and if it sets a precedent, then it might make people a bit more careful when they release people from prison and that they do take their job seriously when it's monitoring people on parole."

- © Fairfax NZ News