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Offender Databases Richard Wereta

Richard Wade Wereta

Alias

.

Offences

Sexual violation of a Palmerston North woman while he was high on paint fumes in October 2008
Also male assaults female and various breaches of protection orders

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1972

Current Location

At large

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 3 months periodic detention in June 2002
Sentenced to 2 years 6 months in December 2008

Background
From the Manawatu Standard 5th November 2008
A man who sexually violated a fellow Shepherd's Rest resident after wandering around high on paint fumes, was remanded for sentencing in the Palmerston North District Court yesterday. Richard Wade Wereta, 36, signalled to family and shouted to the Manawatu Standard, "It was not rape", when he went before Judge Oke Blaikie. He pleaded guilty to entering a woman's unlocked room while she was in bed, kissing her and violating her at 6.30am on October 18.

The police statement said the chronic solvent abuser had inhaled paint fumes the previous night before wandering around the premises meeting fellow residents. Wereta, a sickness beneficiary, had just moved into the residential facility at the time of the offending. Struggling to sleep, he paced the hallway outside both his and the victim's bedroom when he noticed her door unlocked and ajar. She woke to the defendant's fuelled breath and lips on her face. "Scared for her safety, she lay still and frightened hoping that he would leave the room," the statement said. But he continued to digitally penetrate her before lying on top of her.

"(She) was overpowered by his strength and could not predict his potential to hurt her." As soon as Wereta left, the victim alerted security and police. He admitted to kissing and violating her without consent, but denied lying on top of the victim and attempting sexual intercourse. Judge Blaikie remanded Wereta in custody until December 22, while a pre-sentence report was prepared. He will also appear on various breach of protection orders, which he's already pleaded guilty to.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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