Rape of sleeping woman admitted
A 29-year-old man has been jailed for six years nine months after admitting the rape of a sleeping woman after a party in Sydenham.
Christchurch District Court Judge Raoul Neave imposed the sentence on Tajinder Paul Singh, who was in New Zealand from India on a temporary visitor visa at the time.
Singh had pleaded guilty shortly before his scheduled trial, to charges of rape and improper use of a passport.
Defence counsel Mark Callaghan said Singh deeply regretted his actions. Judge Neave said the victim had been at a party attended by Singh.
After 2am, she had gone to bed in a room upstairs and woke a short time later to find Singh having sex with her. She asked who he was and asked him to get off. He apologised and stopped.
About a day later, Singh travelled to India on a passport he had borrowed. There had been a family crisis and he had not been able to find his own passport. He returned to New Zealand after a few days.
There had been significant effects on the woman as a result of Singh’s offending and there were other factors contributing to her situation, said the judge. “You have made a bad situation so much worse.”
The pre-sentence report showed alcohol use was a problem for Singh and he was seen as a moderate risk of reoffending because of his attempt to minimise the offending.
“This was a sexual attack on a sleeping and vulnerable complainant,” said the judge.
He added to the sentence for the passport offence, as a deterrent. “In difficult times, the passport regime assumes even greater significance. It becomes ever more important to have an accurate picture of those who are entering and leaving New Zealand.”
Category: News
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