No jail for gang rapists of 10yr old girl

NINE males who pleaded guilty last month to gang-raping a 10-year-old girl at the Aurukun Aboriginal community on Cape York have escaped a prison term, with the sentencing judge saying the child victim "probably agreed" to have sex with them.

Cairns-based District Court judge Sarah Bradley ordered that the six teenage juveniles not even have a conviction recorded for the 2005 offence, and that they be placed on a 12-month probation order.

Judge Bradley sentenced three men over the age of consent of 16 - aged 17, 18 and 26 - to six months' imprisonment, with the sentence suspended for 12 months.
Source

What is this world coming to?

It is claimed that Australia is an egalitarian nation, with racism a thing of the past. Yeah right.

In the northern Aboriginal settlements they seem to treat the children differently than anywhere else in the country.

The point here is that a child rape victim IS NEVER THE ONE AT FAULT. She could not have legally consented to the sex like the judge claims, therefore it is rape and that with the guilty pleas should have netted these criminals a decade each behind bars.

This is an absolutely outrageous story! The part that gets me is that the Judge stated that the 10 year old victim probably "consented"?

Probably consented?

I can think of a number of cases where an underage child has, indeed, consented to sexual activity but was ignored because the law is the law.
A minor is not capable of making such decisions whereas those over sixteen most assuredly ARE capable of deciding whether or not to have sex with a minor.

This story sickens me and I hope that it raises such a public outrage that the Judge is forced to retire. Frankly, I would hope that the judge is actually prosecuted for aiding and abetting. In essence, that judge has assisted those rapists to escape justice!

reply to post by benevolent tyrant


You are exactly right and you aren't the only one to think that way. I've had the radio on all morning and the amount of outrage and shock that is being aired by hundreds of people shows that this won't be the last we hear on this story.

The Prime Minister has not commented on it yet but there are calls for him to force a re-trial with a different judge. I hope it happens.

Originally posted by fooffstarr
The Prime Minister has not commented on it yet but there are calls for him to force a re-trial with a different judge. I hope it happens.

I hope that there is a retrial for the "gang" of rapists and I hope that there is a trial for that judge. If nothing else, I hope that the judge is removed from his office. He is obviously totally incompetent.

That is a sickening verdict.

And (I know it shouldn't make a difference,,,but...) a female judge!!

This whole thing stinks of corruption, the judge has basically ignored the law that she is there to uphold.

I hope that the powers that be, come down on these idiots like a ton of bricks.

The judge and the rapists should all be locked up.

MonKey

If we can't protect the young and innocent, then who can we protect?

This is unreal. I am sickened and disgusted that something like this would ever happen in a court of law.

I cannot even put into words what I am feeling right now.

The handling of another indigenous rape case is under investigation in Queensland, as Premier Anna Bligh warned of "radical action" if a review finds fault with the state's justice system.

Ms Bligh says a review of 64 sentences given to sexual offenders on Cape York over the past two years could help determine if the standard of justice is lower in Queensland's indigenous communities.

The review was ordered after nine attackers escaped jail time for the gang rape of a 10-year-old girl in Aurukun in April 2006, sparking nationwide outrage.

Source

Glad to see some of the politicians beginning to weigh in on this issue. The outrage is still strong so hopefully something will be done about this.