Father jailed for abduction and rape

Sukhwinder Singh, referred to in court yesterday as a good father, and a family man, has admitted detaining a 20-year-old woman, threatening to kill her and raping her.
On the night of February 16, while on a visit to Auckland to buy a car for his expanding family, the 32-year-old Hastings man drank heavily with his co-accused before heading to an inner-city bar where after a few more drinks they persuaded a woman to get into his car to smoke cigarettes.
Later she climbed out of the car but was forced back in, and allegedly raped by both men after they drove out of the city and held her against her will.
His co-accused dropped Singh off and then allowed the victim to drive before he fell asleep. She then drove to the Auckland Central police station where the co-accused was arrested.
Yesterday at the Hastings District Court Singh was sentenced to a total of 7 1/2 years jail on charges of rape, abduction for rape and threatening to kill.
The Indian-born man stood head bowed as crown prosecutor Jude Hill described what he had done to his victim.
Ms Hill said although the offences were serious Singh was not likely to reoffend in a similar manner as he had no previous record.
She said his co-accused had yet to enter a plea but was expected to reappear in the Auckland District Court on May 29.
Singh's lawyer Bill Calver said his client was a good man, a hard worker, a good father and was not violent toward his wife.
Mr Calver said Singh's actions were shameful but had not been pre-planned.
"The family are devastated by the offending and he is very remorseful," Mr Calver said.
"He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to these charges," he said.
Judge Tony Adeane said there were several aggravating features - the victim had been moved from place to place, two men worked together in the abduction and allegedly both raped her.
Judge Adeane said a mitigating factor was that Singh only had one previous charge, driving with excess breath alcohol.