Man sentenced for raping his grandmother
Warning: This article contains references to sexual harm and may be distressing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
A man in his early 20s has been sentenced to nine years in prison for raping his grandmother in her home, in what the court described as an unprecedented case in New Zealand law, The New Zealand Herald has reported.
The man, who has name suppression to protect his grandmother’s identity, appeared in the Napier District Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to multiple charges including rape, assaulting a female, doing an indecent act and assaulting prison officers.
During sentencing, Judge Richard Earwaker said the offending had a “tremendous and profound effect” on the woman, who was nearly 40 years older than her grandson, Herald reported.
“Your grandma deserved to feel safe in her own home,” Herald quoted the judge as saying.
The court heard the grandmother had invited her grandson to stay at her home in late 2024 and had prepared him a meal before making up a spare room for him.
Later that night, she woke to find him raping her. When she tried to fight him off, he put his hand around her throat, causing her to fear for her life.
After managing to escape, she ran to a neighbour’s house, where police were called, Herald reported.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the grandmother said, “You broke my heart.”
She also told her grandson, “You crossed a very sacred line.”
Judge Earwaker said the woman had suffered not only physical harm, but also “huge emotional harm”.
The court heard lawyers involved in the sentencing process were unable to find similar cases in New Zealand, with the judge saying there was nothing else “fundamentally the same legally”.
The man had initially sought to plead not guilty on the grounds of insanity, but the bid was declined by the court before he later entered guilty pleas.
While Judge Earwaker said the offender had not been acting under a disease of the mind at the time, he noted the man had a “disturbed personality structure” and a complex mental health background, including post-traumatic stress disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The conditions were worsened by illicit drug use, the court heard.
The court was also told that two months before the rape, the man had masturbated in front of another female relative at a different house. The woman left the house after becoming disgusted by his actions.
A week before attacking his grandmother, the man had been released from prison.
He also faced charges relating to assaults on prison officers and appeared in court in handcuffs alongside three Corrections officers.
Judge Earwaker sentenced the man to eight years and nine months in prison for the sexual offending, along with a cumulative sentence of three months for stabbing two prison officers with a pencil and injuring both, bringing the total sentence to nine years
The offender’s parents were present in court to support him, Herald reported.
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.
Warning: This article contains references to sexual harm and may be distressing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
A man in his early 20s has been sentenced to nine years in prison for raping his grandmother in her home, in what the court described as an unprecedented case in New...
Warning: This article contains references to sexual harm and may be distressing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
A man in his early 20s has been sentenced to nine years in prison for raping his grandmother in her home, in what the court described as an unprecedented case in New Zealand law, The New Zealand Herald has reported.
The man, who has name suppression to protect his grandmother’s identity, appeared in the Napier District Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to multiple charges including rape, assaulting a female, doing an indecent act and assaulting prison officers.
During sentencing, Judge Richard Earwaker said the offending had a “tremendous and profound effect” on the woman, who was nearly 40 years older than her grandson, Herald reported.
“Your grandma deserved to feel safe in her own home,” Herald quoted the judge as saying.
The court heard the grandmother had invited her grandson to stay at her home in late 2024 and had prepared him a meal before making up a spare room for him.
Later that night, she woke to find him raping her. When she tried to fight him off, he put his hand around her throat, causing her to fear for her life.
After managing to escape, she ran to a neighbour’s house, where police were called, Herald reported.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the grandmother said, “You broke my heart.”
She also told her grandson, “You crossed a very sacred line.”
Judge Earwaker said the woman had suffered not only physical harm, but also “huge emotional harm”.
The court heard lawyers involved in the sentencing process were unable to find similar cases in New Zealand, with the judge saying there was nothing else “fundamentally the same legally”.
The man had initially sought to plead not guilty on the grounds of insanity, but the bid was declined by the court before he later entered guilty pleas.
While Judge Earwaker said the offender had not been acting under a disease of the mind at the time, he noted the man had a “disturbed personality structure” and a complex mental health background, including post-traumatic stress disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The conditions were worsened by illicit drug use, the court heard.
The court was also told that two months before the rape, the man had masturbated in front of another female relative at a different house. The woman left the house after becoming disgusted by his actions.
A week before attacking his grandmother, the man had been released from prison.
He also faced charges relating to assaults on prison officers and appeared in court in handcuffs alongside three Corrections officers.
Judge Earwaker sentenced the man to eight years and nine months in prison for the sexual offending, along with a cumulative sentence of three months for stabbing two prison officers with a pencil and injuring both, bringing the total sentence to nine years
The offender’s parents were present in court to support him, Herald reported.
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.
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