A 14-year-old Te Puke girl has been sentenced in Tauranga District Court to three years' jail on charges of sexual violation, attempted rape, robbery and kidnapping.
The six charges arose from an incident at Te Puke's Jamieson oval on November 11 last year.
The 14-year-old was the main offender in a scene inside the unused scoreboard building where a 13-year-old boy and girl were taken and ordered to have sex at knifepoint.
The girl's lawyer, Craig Horsley, said the offending had its origins in childish jealousies, and/or revenge and retaliation.
The girl's psychological, emotional and sexual safety had been neglected, he said. She had dropped out of school at age 12. There had been four previous notifications to Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) about her and none were followed up.
What she did might only have been a reflection of the drug and alcohol abuse, violence and neglect she had witnessed throughout her life and seen as normal and acceptable.
Mr Horsley sought a one-year jail term followed by one year of supervision, with the supervision providing some intervention.
Judge Ian Thomas, who suppressed the girl's name, said one year was not long enough, as the girl would be out in eight months. In sentencing her yesterday, he described her as a young person who had had a dreadful life.
Her family had failed her and it was left to the courts to provide some intervention in the hope of rehabilitation.
The girl would be sent to Auckland Women's prison from Tauranga.
The girl's four co-accused are currently before the courts.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
Girl jailed on rape and kidnap charges
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