Review urged of 'appalling' bail decision

The Sensible Sentencing Trust has asked Justice Minister Phil Goff to review a decision to bail a Northland man accused of raping and abducting his former partner.

Trust national spokesman Garth McVicar says he has written to Mr Goff asking for an explanation of why bail had been granted and requesting a review of the decision.

Mr McVicar said inquiries by the trust had found police could only revoke the alleged offender's bail if he were to breach his bail conditions.

"We've been made aware in the last three months of several cases in which people who have been charged with violent crimes are getting bail against police advice," he said. "On a national scale, bail's an issue of huge concern. It's all got to start somewhere and I think this is the classic case to kick it off."

A 27-year-old Northland man appeared in the Whangarei District Court on Tuesday charged with rape and abduction.

Police opposed his bail, but Judge Josephineh Bouchier granted the man bail, with conditions, to re-appear in court on January 26.

It is alleged he broke into his ex-partner's Northland home early Tuesday, raped her then forced her into a car and drove off.

The woman, who was allegedly bound, threw herself from the moving car to escape when another vehicle appeared nearby and was helped to safety.

The man's bail was granted on the conditions that he remain under a 24-hour curfew, he live with his parents and he does not contact the alleged victim.

But Mr McVicar said bail was "the wrong decision in this case".

"I don't see bail should even have been considered in this case."

He said it was time to clarify what the Bail Act meant, and if the legislation needed changes, his organisation would force those changes.

Mr McVicar said it was possible the overcrowding of prisons and remand centres around the country was playing a part in bail decisions.

Whangarei-based Act MP Muriel Newman said the bail decision was "appalling".

The justice system needed to prioritise the safety of citizens over the individual rights of alleged offenders.

"The man has allegedly committed a brutal crime.

"No matter how many people say they will look after him, when somebody's accused of such a serious crime there's no other place for them but in custody," Ms Newman said.

She said the blame fell with "soft" bail laws and showed why there should be a peer review system in the justice system.

A spokesman for Mr Goff said the minister would not comment on the case as it was up to judges to make their decisions based on all the facts in front of them.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)