A 15-year-old girl repeatedly told Rhys Raeburn Leatherby that she did not want to have sex with him. But he didn't listen. Photo/123rf
A 15-year-old girl repeatedly told Rhys Raeburn Leatherby that she did not want to have sex with him. But he didn't listen. Photo/123rf
Warning: This story contains reference to sexual harm.
A crying 15-year-old girl who said no to having sex with a male older than her, felt afraid and pressured into the act. He left her emotionally devastated and with a sexually transmitted disease.
Rhys Raeburn Leatherby, 20, was working as a builder nearly 950 kilometres from his hometown of Waitara, Taranaki, when he met the girl in January 2021.
It was a chance encounter for the two, as the girl was also from Waitara, the New Plymouth District Court was told on Thursday.
A couple of days later, the girl left the town and returned to Waitara. And Leatherby wasn't far behind.
He travelled back to Waitara about two weeks later and when there he began to pick the girl up from school and phone her late at night.
She started to feel controlled and unsafe around Leatherby.
On March 13, the girl went to a party in South Taranaki. Leatherby picked her up afterwards and drove her to his parents' home.
There, he took her to a sleepout and asked her to have sex with him.
She told Leatherby she did not want to but he ignored her, and began to touch and kiss her. He tried to take off her pants and repeatedly stated that they should have sex.
The girl became upset and began to cry.
On Thursday, Rhys Raeburn Leatherby appeared in New Plymouth District Court. Photo/Tara Shaskey
Still, Leatherby continued his advances, offering her comfort while continuing to touch and kiss her.
"Feeling afraid and as if she had no choice, the victim offered no further resistance and submitted to sexual intercourse with the defendant," the Crown summary of facts said.
"The victim was emotionally devastated by this encounter and felt like she had been forced to have sex by the defendant."
She ceased all communication with Leatherby after that night.
She later developed severe symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease. Tests showed she had contracted chlamydia.
When spoken to by police, Leatherby admitted having sex with the girl once and said he had believed she was 17.
In court, he pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual connection with a young person aged 12 to 16, accepting the summary of facts.
He also pleaded guilty to unrelated charges of assault with intent to injure, speaking threateningly, driving with excess breath alcohol, and driving with excess breath alcohol third or subsequent.
Judge Lynne Harrison ordered a full pre-sentence report, referred the matters to restorative justice and issued Leatherby with his first strike warning.
Variations were also made to his bail to allow for Leatherby, who is on a curfew and driving restrictions, to drive to, and attend the upcoming birth of his first child.
He will be sentenced on May 18.
Sexual harm - Where to get help If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111. If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7: • Call 0800 044 334 • Text 4334 • Email support@safetotalk.nz • For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list. If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.
