Postie turned rapist on round

Father-of-one Rosmin Tapu refused to explain why he committed the attack against a showhome sales assistant. Photo / Supplied

A "predatory" postman has been jailed for raping a showhome sales assistant as she waited for a client.

Father-of-one Rosmin Tapu, 26, was sentenced to eight years and nine months' at the Papakura District Court last week for the afternoon attack.

Tapu's victim was reading a book when he crept into the house and attacked her at the Karaka Lakes development in Papakura on March 4.

Her 20-minute ordeal ended only when she locked herself in a bathroom.

Detective Dean Patutama of Counties-Manukau police described Tapu's behaviour as "highly predatory".

"He has probably been watching that address while doing his round."

The 51-year-old victim was waiting to show a couple through the home. She was traumatised by the attack and remains unable to return to work, said Patutama.

Police were stunned the attack took place in daylight in a housing development. About a quarter of the homes in the semi-rural subdivision, 30km south of central Auckland, were occupied at the time.

The victim's description and a quick-thinking detective led to an arrest, conviction and sentencing within 80 days of the attack. The victim recalled her attacker as clean-shaven, with a tribal tattoo on his left bicep, wearing black leggings, a black T-shirt and motorcycle boots.

Tapu was strong and athletic from hours in the gym and training for his touch rugby team.

Detectives going door-to-door in Papakura the next week spotted him doing his round on a scooter.

One noticed he matched the description and challenged him.

Tapu tried to blame a co-worker, saying he had been off on the day of the attack.

Police soon established he was lying and arrested him.

In the face of overwhelming DNA and fingerprint evidence, Tapu pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual violation by rape, aggravated burglary, threatening to kill and committing an indecent act.

But he refused to explain why he committed the attack.

"That's the million-dollar question," said Patutama.

Tapu has a 2-year-old son and his partner Breeze Tuhimata, also a postie, is expecting their second child in July. Yesterday, Breeze's mother Daphne said the family were convinced of Tapu's innocence.

"[Breeze] knows her partner, she knows he wouldn't do anything like that. What did he get out of it?"

Real Estate Institute chief executive Helen O'Sullivan said it was the first time she had heard of a real estate worker being sexually attacked at work.

A New Zealand Post spokesman said there was a "deep collective disappointment" among postal workers that their reputations had been tarnished.

* bevan.hurley@hos.co.nz