Two women found guilty of sexually violating a 16-year-old Invercargill girl using an aerosol deodorant can were yesterday sentenced to jail terms of six and seven years.
Rebecca Louise Elliot, aged 33, a mother, and Sarah Hollings, 19, unemployed, had been found guilty after a trial last month.
In the Invercargill District Court, Judge Phil Moran said that both were equally responsible for the attack last September.
He sentenced Elliot to seven years' jail and Hollings to a lesser term of six years in light of her age and previously clean record.
"This was a 16-year-old girl on whom both of you preyed. You captured her, you overpowered her and you tied her up," Judge Moran said.
"Having finished with her, you callously left her bound on the bed and you rejoiced in your achievement."
In mitigation he accepted that there had been no great degree of planning involved and that the victim suffered no significant physical injury.
However, the nature of the attack was not significantly different to rape and the victim would have to receive counselling for some time yet.
"The impact upon this young woman whom you attacked has been quite profound. She has now lost her trust in people generally. She finds it hard to concentrate at work. She is not sleeping properly."
- NZPA
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