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Offender Databases Thomas Hohapata

Thomas Boy Hohapata

Alias

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Offences

Rape of a young girl in Christchurch in December 1995
9 previous rape convictions between 1981 and 1988

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1955

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to preventive detention in August 1996
Eligible for parole December 2005

Background
From Christchurch Press story 16th August 1996
A man appearing for sentence on his 10th conviction for rape was sentenced to preventive detention by Justice Panckhurst in the High Court in Christchurch yesterday. Thomas Boy Hohapata, 41, unemployed, had been found guilty by a jury last month of raping a girl aged 16 at a house he called at while she was babysitting on the night of December 16 last year. In passing sentence, Justice Panckhurst said Hohapata had entered the house without invitation from the complainant, who had fallen asleep on a couch. She had woken to find her legs being positioned by Hohapata.

The complainant had made her opposition clear by crying and saying "No", but she was effectively defenceless, His Honour said. The victim impact report showed her confidence and everyday functioning were significantly affected by the offence. Justice Panckhurst said at the mature age of 41, Hohapata had offended again, and had shown a lack of genuine remorse. "You represent an ongoing danger.'' For Hohapata, Jeanette Aitken submitted he had been paroled in 1990 from his last jail sentence for rape and had received what was thought to be adequate counselling. A psychiatric report prepared on Hohapata said there was a high risk of his reoffending, but overstated the defendant's background of repeated rapes.

Hohapata firmly believed he was innocent in this case. Mrs Aitken submitted the offence was of less severity than others of its kind, and Hohapata had been out of trouble for the last five years. For the Crown, Jane Farish said Hohapata had a history of violent offending. Rapes he admitted to between 1981 to 1988 were committed in violent circumstances. The author of the psychiatric report said Hohapata's pattern of offending had not changed, and he had no treatable disorder. Ms Farish said it was a predatory offence on a young girl by a man who was not concerned about the effects his behaviour had on her. Hohapata posed a substantial risk to women.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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