"Sex predator" sentenced to six years in prison [1]
Monday, July 30, 2007 - 18:15. Updated on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - 17:02.
"Young girls need to be protected from sex predators like yourself", Tonga's Chief Justice told a 65-year-old man in sentencing him to six years in prison, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court today.
Latu Ta'ufo'ou of Fua'amotu, who was convicted earlier this month of the indecent assault of a nine-year-old girl in 2005, will serve his term at Hu'atolitoli Prison effective today.
Chief Justice Anthony Ford told Latu that he is 65 years old and at this age he should have been able to sit back and reflect on a successful life, but instead all he had to reflect on is a life of crime.
"Your friends are either inmates or criminals and you have a list of 11 years of convictions, which spanned from 1969-77. You defended this charge putting the young victim on trial who had to reflect back on the devastating ordeal.
"After the trial you were found guilty but it was clear from the probation report that you showed no remorse and you denied committing the offence, which is something of concern," said the Chief Justice.
The court was also told that Latu was only remorseful after he spoke to his counsel Tesina Fifita. The probation officer said that he chose a life of a lawbreaker and referred to his list of convictions and pointed out a previous indecent assault that he committed in the same nature when he was sentenced to three years imprisonment and the victim was adversely affected by what he did to her.
Chief Justice Ford said this incident itself was of a totally disgusting nature where he led the victim from her home to a nearby tax allotment and committed the crime with the parents not at home.
"The victim's family placed you in a position of trust where you were allowed to live at their home and the parents even left their children in your care at times and you abused it," he said.
Young girls need to be protected
"I regard this offence very seriously because young girls need to be protected from sex predators like yourself and the court must make sure they are. So I am satisfied the only way is to send you back to prison for a very long time."
Chief Justice Ford said that previously the maximum imprisonment for this crime was five years in prison but in 1990 the Tongan Legislature increased it to seven years, which showed how seriously they regarded this offence.
"So the sentence I impose on you is six years in prison and given your age and history I don't think this period would change your lifestyle but at least young girls in Tonga would be protected," concluded the Chief Justice.
Tesina Fifita represented Latu in court and Sione Sisifa appeared for the Crown.