Almost decade in jail in bondage rape case
File image. © Andrew Bardwell
A 29-year-old has begun a nine-year six-month jail term still claiming he is innocent of under-age bondage sex crimes and drug dealing.
Ian Edward Hitchcock faces the prospect of serving much of the long prison term because of his continuing denials.
Christchurch District Court Judge David Saunders told him: “You will be required to address your offending before the Parole Board would see you as reducing your risk and being able to return to the community.”
Crown prosecutor Courtney Martyn had called for a high starting point for the sex offence sentencing because some of the convictions involved a 13-year-old victim who was intoxicated, who had been handcuffed, blindfolded, and gagged.
Hitchcock was found guilty on 12 charges on the seventh day of his jury trial in February.
The jury found Hitchcock guilty of raping one girl, and having sexual connection with a young person (a second girl), unlawful sexual connection, supplying cannabis, selling cannabis, and perverting justice by setting up Facebook pages to try to get the girls to change their testimony.
The jury could not reach a verdict on one of the two rape charges, but convicted Hitchcock on the alternative charge of unlawful sexual connection with a young person.
Hitchcock’s defence at the trial was that no sexual misconduct had occurred. He also claimed that the cannabis he was selling was synthetic cannabis at a time when it was still legal.
However, Judge Saunders noted the evidence of a young witness at the trial who appeared to be knowledgeable about cannabis. The witness said that synthetic cannabis tasted like “a science lab” and he was satisfied that Hitchcock had supplied him real cannabis.
One of the girls told of non-consensual sexual activity after socialising and returning with Hitchcock to his home where the bondage sex took place.
The jury could not agree on the rape allegation by the other girl but convicted Hitchcock of unlawful sexual connection with a young person in her case.
Defence counsel James Rapley told the judge that Hitchcock had never been in prison before. He urged that a sentence be imposed that was short enough to give him hope that he could come out into the community and re-engage and be rehabilitated.
Judge Saunders noted Mr Rapley’s submission that the offending behaviour was not part of Hitchcock’s behaviour before the Christchurch earthquakes and the mental health issues that developed after that.
He said that evidence was given that some of the offending occurred after a group had been socialising and using alcohol and cannabis, before the bondage sex with Hitchcock took place at another house. There was no evidence given by the young complainant that she had said “No” or asked him to desist.
Police found bondage items during a search of Hitchcock’s bedroom, the trial was told.
Some jail time was added for perverting the course of justice through a Facebook page where pictures of the two girls were posted with rifle sights across their faces.
A series of sentences totalling nine-years six-months was imposed, without a minimum non-parole term that would have delayed Hitchcock’s appearance before the Parole Board. Hitchcock was also read a first-strike warning under the system that imposes heavier penalties on repeat violent or sexual offenders.
Category: Focus
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Connect
Connect with us via: