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Offender Databases William Te Whata

William Te Whata

Alias

.

Offences

Abduction and rape of a Hamilton woman in late 1986
Also serious assault on another man

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

Paul Sweeney
William Ratana

Gang affiliations

Mongrel Mob

Age

Born 1960

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to seven years in July 1987

Background
From NZ Herald story 5th July 1987
A Mongrel Mob member and two associates charged with kidnapping a woman from Hamilton’s main street, taking her to a suburban house and raping her, yesterday received jail terms of five and seven years. Paul Tokonoa Sweeney, aged 29, a beneficiary, William Te Whata, 27, unemployed, and William Hohaia Ratana, 20, a labourer were earlier found guilty in the High Court at Hamilton on charges of abduction, aggravated assault, rape and unlawful sexual connection. In the High Court at Auckland yesterday, Mr Justice Smellie jailed Sweeney and Te Whata for seven years each, and Ratana for five. He said the jury found that the three drove in to the main street at Hamilton and stopped outside a hotel. Sweeney called to a woman whom he knew.

The woman went to the car, but it was clear she did not want to join them. Sweeney forced her in. A number of people saw what was happening and were concerned. The complainant asked a man she knew to go fetch a barman. As he went towards the Hotel Ratana and Te Whata attacked him from behind, and when he fell, “put the boot in.” The judge said the woman was taken to a suburban house and Sweeney went into a bedroom with her. On the jury’s verdict he had to accept that she agreed to have sex with Sweeney. Sweeney then called the other two in. The jury’s verdict could only be interpreted that, against the complainant’s wishes, Te Whata had intercourse with her and two acts of sexual violation, to which Sweeney and Ratana were parties. Because the woman kept her head and showed a great deal of bravery she was not tied up and left in the house, but taken to another hotel in Hamilton where she managed to escape.

The judge said Sweeney was the prime mover in the incident, being the most intelligent, forceful and demanding character of the three. He had been a party to the rape and one act of sexual violation of the woman by Te Whata, and a principal in one act of unlawful sexual connection himself. Te Whata had been a principal, and one act of sexual connection, and a party to sexual violation of the woman by Sweeney. Mr Justice Smellie said he accepted Ratana’s part at the house was a party. Mr Maurice Knuckey, for Sweeney, said he hoped the court would not be influenced by his clients being member of the Mongrel Mob. Sweeney said he was not a violent man, and it was not a pack rape. Mr Roger Laybourn, for Te Whata, Sweeney invited Te Whata and Ratana into the bedroom to help him.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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