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Offender Databases Michael Ennis

Michael John Ennis

Alias

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Offences

Sexual abuse of three Christchurch girls aged 7-12, one in the late 80's and two others in 2003
Also had child pornography found on his computer

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1958

Current Location

On parole in New Brighton, Christchurch

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to four years in October 2004
Released on parole in May 2008

Background
Has never admitted to the charges, therefore has not undertaken any programmes.
From The Press 25th October 2004
A Christchurch man who has been jailed for molesting three girls continues to protest his innocence, despite child pornography being found on his computer.

Michael John Ennis, 46, was found guilty this month of sexual violation and indecent assault by a Christchurch District Court jury which had been kept in the dark about the extent of his lewd photograph collection. The jury was only able to be told of one photograph - and up-the-skirt picture alleged to be of one of his victims taken during a netball game - and Judge Stphen Erber said he could not take the full photo collection into account when fixing Ennis's sentence at four year's jail. "While it's not evidence that can affect the length of your sentence, that there was found on your computer pornographic images of young girls and a young boy is a factor which may weigh with the Parole Board (for your release) and which may affect the nature of your sentence if there is any repetition of this conduct" the judge said.

Ennis had already had to listen to an impassioned account from the mothers of his victims about the devastating effects of his offending. The women took up their option to read their victim impact statements aloud to the court. The first woman, the mother of two of Ennis's victims, said she felt "shattered inside but I had to keep strong for my kids". All her children had been affected by the abuse, not just the two sisters, and the situation had been made worse by not being able to discuss it as a family while the trial was pending because Ennis maintained his innocence.

"I've suffered from lack of sleep, depression, anxiety and headaches. I've felt self-destructive but I thought I'm not going to give that bastard (Ennis) the satisfaction so I increased my counselling," she said. The second mother trembled as she recounted her "absolute devastation" when she learnt, 15 years after her then seven-year-old daughter had been molested by Ennis, that her efforts to keep her safe through her childhood had failed. "I found a one-page letter to her boyfriend which referred to her being sexually abused and that it was by Ennis," she said. "When we first tried to discuss it with her, she pulled her jersey over her head to hide her face and rolled into a ball.

"You bring your kids up and you want them to be happy but they're not happy. I'm not a vengeful person but I am so angry that if (Ennis) came to our door, I don't think I could control my actions."

Bryan Green, defending, said Ennis was effectively a first offender and had been treated for depression. The judeg said the three victims' evidence was "plainly truthful", making the guilty verdicts unsurprising. "You deny the offending which means remorse does not arise as a mitigating factor," he said. "The probation officer who compiled the pre-sentence report is also concerned that if you continue to deny the offending, the risk of further offending is heightened." The judge said all the girls had been emotionally scarred by Ennis's predations but said it was difficult how much to attribute to the abuse and how much to "ordinary growing pains".

He also said it was for the sisters' mother to "weigh up additional references to things that might be best forgotten against the need for them to be discussed". "It may be that continual emphasis on the offending will do the girls no good, I don't know," he said. Ennis did not react as he was sentenced to a total of four years jail.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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