Kerre Woodham: Why rapist should be rewarded

The dirtbag responsible for the abduction and rape of a young Hawke's Bay woman appeared in court last week and for possibly the first time in his sorry life, he did something decent.

He pleaded guilty. It was his first appearance in court since he'd been charged in relation to his abduction of the young woman. Trevor Eagle says he was on P at the time and that he has no clear recollection of the events that took place but he accepts that they are as police and the victim described.

Quite possibly, given the vicious and inhumane acts he performed on the young woman, he chooses not to remember. How any man could live with himself after behaving in such a bestial way is beyond comprehension. Nonetheless, he pleaded guilty and at the earliest possible opportunity. Who knows why he chose to do so?

He may have done so because the evidence was so overwhelming, he knew he was a goner and he just wanted to shave a couple of months off what will inevitably be a very long sentence. Alternatively, he may have been so stricken with remorse for his actions that this is the first step on a long journey back to redemption.

Whatever his reasons, Eagle's early guilty plea has saved the young woman the horrific ordeal of having to testify in court. And for that he should be rewarded.

I know many people believe men like this should be locked up with the key thrown away and that nothing he says or does can possibly mitigate against the damage he has done to this young woman, her family and her friends. But early guilty pleas must be encouraged.

I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like for a woman, or for that matter, a man, to have to relive the most traumatic experience of their lives, while a courtroom full of people, including the perpetrator, looked on like the crowd at the Colosseum. Recounting the experience would be bad enough. But imagine having to be cross-examined by a defence lawyer whose raison d'etre is to undermine you and your credibility.

For many people, it's an experience that would be impossible to endure. No wonder there are many women who refuse to go to the police after a rape.

They would rather live with the pain of the assault and let the offender go free, possibly to rape again, than be exposed in such a public way.

If more crims started owning up early, then their victims can get on with trying to recover a wholelot sooner.

Some people have suggested that there should be no discount for a guilty plea but that a person should have time added to their sentence if they're found guilty after a trial. Or that there be no time off for good behaviour - time is added for bad.

They worry that discounting a sentence for early guilty pleas is sending the wrong message to criminals. I reckon it's sending exactly the right one.

Do the decent thing - even if it's just the one time in your life - and that will be taken into account when the judge considers the sentence. 


- HERALD ON SUNDAY