Never too late to lay abuse complaint

Raymond George Melrose, 68, of Paihia, was jailed last week for sex offences against two Auckland brothers four decades ago

One of the victims of a Northland sex abuser is urging others to report crimes committed against them as children, saying it's never too late for justice.

Raymond George Melrose, 68, of Paihia, was jailed last week for sex offences against two Auckland brothers four decades ago. The boys were aged 11 to 16 and 9 to 12 at the time.

After Thursday's sentencing in the Kaikohe District Court the older brother, now 60, said he had carried the burden for 45 years.

He had tried to lay a complaint when he was 17, but, at that time there was little awareness of child sex abuse and he got nowhere. He tried again several years ago and was taken seriously but the investigating officer was transferred and nothing more was done.

The third time his complaint was investigated thoroughly and Melrose was charged. He only changed his pleas to guilty on August 31 this year, the day his trial was due to start, after the more serious charges were dropped.

The older brother said Melrose's admission of guilt, though late and reluctant, was a liberation. "I woke up the next morning in a hotel in Whangarei and I felt free for the first time in my life. I drove home feeling happy and vindicated."

His case proved it was worth reporting abuse, no matter how long ago it had occurred, and that complaints would be taken seriously.

"It's never too late to speak up. You will be listened to."

He had hoped for a longer sentence than the two years and eight months imposed, but was pleased Melrose had been jailed. Melrose's lawyer had asked for home detention given his age, ill health and otherwise positive contribution to society.

"He's where he belongs. I don't think the sentence is long enough but I accept it."

Lobby group the Sensible Sentencing Trust, however, has called Melrose's sentence totally disproportionate and out of touch.

Spokesman Scott Guthrie said, due to Melrose's serious and repetitive offending, he could easily have been sentenced to a minimum of seven years without parole under the Crimes Amendment Act 2005.

"Child abuse must be eliminated. Judges are the gate-keepers for society ... a pathetic sentence such as this is no deterrent whatsoever."

However, offenders must be sentenced under the laws in force at the time their crimes were committed. In Melrose's case, that was the late 1960s to early 70s.

Melrose was the principal of Kaikohe Christian School from 1997-2013.