Sex offender indignant over jail

FILE

A 61-year-old Kawerau man jailed for sexually abusing three young girls over a 34-year period is still protesting his innocence.

Diamond Kaino Liaki has been sentenced in the High Court at Rotorua to nine years' jail after a jury earlier found him guilty of 17 charges of sexual offending against the three girls. He was convicted of eight charges of indecently assaulting victim one between 1970 and 1977.

The charges were all representative, which means the offending happened more than once.

Between June 1979 and August 1980 he committed two indecent assaults against victim two, induced her to do an indecent act on him, and committed an indecent act on her. These charges were also representative.

Finally, between January 2003 and June 2004 he committed two sexual violations on victim three.

One charge related to an indecent assault and on two occasions he induced her to perform an indecent act on him.

The victims were aged between 6 and 16.

In sentencing last Friday, Justice Woodhouse referred to the victim impact statements provided by two of the victims.

Both spoke of how Liaki had stolen their childhoods and their innocence.

"He took something away from me that I'll never get back," said one.

They also spoke of feelings of guilt and shame.

"At times I feel that somehow I deserved it, or I instigated it," one said. "I have no feelings of self-worth."

One victim said the abuse caused her to live on the streets, Justice Woodhouse said, noting that was not totally attributable to Liaki's actions.

"But the impact of what you did will be with her for the rest of her life," he said.

Justice Woodhouse said Liaki continued to deny all of the offences. "In fact you express indignation on the basis that you have been wrongfully imprisoned."

Liaki's lawyer, Gene Tomlinson, submitted Liaki should receive a reduced sentence due to his age and "life otherwise well-lived".

That was rejected by the judge, who said the offending against the girls had "blighted their entire lives".