KEY POINTS:
A rapist who continued to offend while on bail was helped by "catalogue of errors" by police during their investigation.
Fanuaea Leatigaga sexually violated a 15-year-old schoolgirl and raped a 21-year-old pregnant woman at knifepoint before being caught, The Press newspaper reports.
He was jailed for 11 years on multiple sex charges, including two rapes.
An Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation in December highlighted a "catalogue of errors" by police, including not assigning temporary responsibility for files while officers were on leave and failing to identify the offender through the police intelligence (Intel) system.
The mother of a 16-year-old victim who phoned police twice with the offender's car registration is devastated she was unable to prevent two more victims being harmed.
Police did not follow up on the car registration number, despite being given it on two occasions.
The mother who gave police the registration number said "had the police acted on my information, the offender would not have had the opportunity to carry out these two horrendous crimes."
The mother first reported Leatigaga's registration number to police after he was spotted driving a car. Nothing was done.
Five days later, Leatigaga sexually violated a 15-year-old girl in the grounds of Aranui High School.
A few days after that, the 16-year-old saw Leatigaga again in the supermarket where she worked. Her colleagues again noted the registration number and it was reported to police the next day. Nothing was done.
The day after the number was reported for the second time, Leatigaga broke into a Linwood home and raped a 21-year-old pregnant woman at knifepoint.
Leatigaga was eventually caught and admitted two rapes, three counts of sexual violation, one of indecent assault and aggravated burglary.
He was jailed for 11 years, with a seven-year minimum non-parole term.
Police said Leatigaga was on bail at the time, which the crown had opposed. Had he been brought before a court, it was probable that he would have been bailed again.
- NZPA
