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Offender Databases Rhys Dunick

Rhys Nicholas Dunick

Alias

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Offences

Rape and sexual violation of an Invercargill woman in April 2007

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1980

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 9 years with a 5 year minimum non-parole period in May 2008
Eligible for parole April 2012
Unsuccessfully appealed the sentence November 2008

Background
The Southland Times, Invercargill, April 19, 2008
A Man accused of rape and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection has been found guilty by a jury in the Invercargill District Court.

Rhys Nicholas Dunick, 28, had pleaded not guilty to the two charges at the start of his trial on Monday.

Crown prosecutor Bill Dawkins had said in his opening address on Monday that Dunick had gone to the victim's house on April 6 last year to watch a movie, saying he had three worms for her, which was later explained to be two in a bottle of tequila and one being his penis.

He had arrived drunk and, despite her protests, had forcibly digitally penetrated her before raping her, Mr Dawkins said. Defence lawyer Hugo Young said in his opening statement the alleged digital penetration and rape never occurred.

There was some consensual sexual activity but it fell well short of what the complainant had said, Mr Young said. Judge Kevin Phillips yesterday morning summed up the case before the jury retired to consider its verdicts, taking more than 11 and a half hours to unanimously find Dunick guilty on both charges. Dunick was remanded in custody for sentencing on May 28.

The Southland Times, Tuesday, 15 April 2008
A 25-year-old Invercargill woman was told a man accused of raping her had "three worms" for her before he arrived at her home, the Invercargill District Court heard yesterday.

Rhys Nicholas Dunick, 28, pleaded not guilty to sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and sexual violation by rape in Invercargill on April 6, 2007. Crown prosecutor Bill Dawkins said in his opening address Dunick had gone to the victim's house to watch a movie, saying he had three worms for her, which was later explained to be two in a bottle of tequila and one being his penis.

He had arrived drunk and, despite her protests, had forcibly digitally penetrated her before raping her, Mr Dawkins said. Afterward he had gone to a friend's house and boasted about having "shagged" a woman before texting the complainant. When the woman responded saying she had told him no and he did not stop, he responded saying he was sorry and to kill him and this was an admission of guilt, Mr Dawkins said.

In his brief opening statement, defence counsel Hugo Young said the alleged digital penetration and rape never occurred. There was some consensual sexual activity but that it fell "well short" of what the complainant had said, he said. The trial before Judge Kevin Phillips continues today.

The Southland Times Thursday, 29 May 2008
A man convicted of rape and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection has been sentenced to nine years' jail, with a five-year non-parole period. Rhys Nicholas Dunick, 28, who was sentenced by Judge Kevin Phillips in the Invercargill District Court yesterday after having been found guilty by a jury last month, had gone to the victim's house by invitation in April last year. He had arrived drunk and, despite her protests, had forcibly digitally penetrated her and raped her. Dunick, who yawned and wept at times during his sentencing, still denied the offending, the judge said.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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