Connie (Constance) Ready speaks on Newshub regarding the assault by her father Clem Ready. Photo / Newshub
Connie (Constance) Ready speaks on Newshub regarding the assault by her father Clem Ready. Photo / Newshub
Details of family violence within Gloriavale have been revealed after suppression was lifted on an assault case today.
Clem Ready, a father to 13 children within the religious sect, was convicted earlier this year for assaulting two of his daughters; Connie Ready and the late Prayer Ready, over a period of 13 years.
Ready was sentenced to 12 months supervision in the Greymouth District Court in May, but suppression was only lifted today after a hearing in the Court of Appeal in Christchurch.
Initially Clem Ready had name suppression, and all details linking him to Gloriavale were also suppressed.
A photo taken within the isolated community of Gloriavale. Photo / File TVNZ
Connie Ready told Newshub that the beatings involved shoes, carpentering tools, coat hangers, belts, and all sorts of different things.
She was aged between 5 and 17 years old during the abuse, while her sister Prayer was aged between 5 and 12 years old.
In sentencing, Judge Couch described the physical discipline where Ready would hit the girls on their lower back and buttocks, causing pain and discomfort, Newshub reported.
"The victims suffered not only physical pain but also emotional distress," Judge Couch said.
"The victims were children, unable for the most part to defend themselves. The defendant was in a position of absolute authority over them. They were highly vulnerable."
Judge Couch said the assaults "constituted serious breaches of trust that children are entitled to have in their parents that they will be treated properly".
Prayer Ready, who had Down syndrome, passed away from unrelated causes when she choked on her food in June 2015. She was aged 14.
The Gloriavale Christian Community is a small Christian group based at Haupiri on the West Coast of the South Island. Photo / File
Connie, or Constance Ready, left the Gloriavale community after Prayer's death and went to police with the allegations.
Connie told Newshub she didn't want to press charges against her own Dad, but felt a responsibility to her sister.
"I felt a responsibility to her that I needed to do the right thing by her," she said.
"It's more than just about me and about my Dad, it is about all of those people who are still in the community. The biggest thing I can do to help them is to raise awareness."
Judge Couch said mitigating factors for Clem Ready's offending included the culture of discipline within the community and the long hours he was working, Newshub reported.
However, the Judge said these factors did not excuse the offending.
Newshub reported that since the charges were laid, Clem Ready has taken anger management sessions and parenting lessons, and undergone a restorative justice meeting involving his wife, Connie, and three other immediate family members.
Judge Couch said Ready had shown "a measure of remorse for the harm he has done to the victims".
Ready was also ordered to participate in counselling or other intervention measures that the probation officer sees fit, and was ordered to pay Connie $1000 in reparations.
Connie told Newshub that despite the abuse, she still loved her father.
"I still love him. He is still my Dad. I just wish things could have been different," she said.
