Capill appeal date set

An appeal by jailed paedophile and former Christian Heritage Party leader Graham Capill against his nine-year sentence for child sex offences will not be heard until next year.

The Court of Appeal has scheduled the hearing for February 15.

Heavy court bookings this year and the availability of Capill's counsel meant the appeal, which was lodged in August, could not be heard this year.

Capill is in Christchurch's Rolleston Prison after being jailed in July for sexual offences against three girls aged between 5 and 11 occurring over a span roughly coinciding with his leadership of the Christian Heritage Party.

The 46-year-old, who also worked as a police prosecutor, was sentenced to seven years for rape, three years for unlawful sexual connection to be served concurrently, and two years for indecent assault after pleading guilty to the charges. There is no minimum parole period.

Capill's Christchurch barrister, Jonathon Eaton, said the appeal was lodged on the grounds that Capill's sentence "was manifestly excessive".

During Capill's court case it was revealed he had emailed friends saying sex with one of his young victims was consensual and asking them to pray for a lenient judge and prison term.

He later gained attention after a letter he wrote to prison officials complaining about his treatment was leaked.

- NZPA