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Offender Databases Sidney Tokona

Sidney Joseph Tokona

Alias

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Offences

Abducted and sexually violated a four year old New Plymouth girl in July 1997
Extensive prior convictions for other non-sexual offending

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1969

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to five years in September 1997
Released November 2000

Background
From the Waikato Times 17th Sep 1997
A man who kidnapped a sleeping 4-year-old New Plymouth girl and later sexually violated her in a parked car has been jailed for five years.

Sidney Joseph Tokona, 28, unemployed, was sentenced by Justice Salmon in the High Court in New Plymouth yesterday on charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, kidnapping and unlawfully taking a car. Crown counsel Georgina Gowland said Tokona, who had been staying with the girl's family, carried the sleeping girl to his host's car about 2am on July 11 without waking anyone.

He drove to near Waverley , 120km south-east of New Plymouth, where he pulled into a rest area and committed indecencies on the girl. Later he pulled into another rest area and sexually violated her. When he was stopped in Stratford , he first told the police he had been merely taking the girl for a ride. Later he said he had been suffering from "a mental overload" and claimed he had not wanted to hurt the girl but found himself doing so. He repeatedly expressed self-disgust and contempt at his actions, Ms Gowland said.

Defence counsel Andrew Laurenson said Tokona had been subjected to physical and sexual abuse, as were a number of his brothers. At the time of the offences, he had not been taking regular medication and had been drinking. Justice Salmon said Tokona had quite extensive previous convictions, although none for sexual crimes. Various custodial and non-custodial sentences had not kept him from offending.

The judge said the most important consideration for the court in such offences was the protection of young children, and this could only be done by deterrent sentences. "One can imagine the fear and horror of this child's parents when they discovered she was missing, and it is fortunate it was for a relatively short time that those fears continued before the child was returned to them."

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Corrections and Additional Information
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