Convicted rapist's appeal thrown out

The Supreme Court has thrown out an appeal by a West Coast man convicted of rape.

Iowane Seru Sucuturaga was denied permission by the court to challenge a Court of Appeal ruling dismissing his appeal against convictions for sexual violation by rape.

Sucuturaga was found guilty in Greymouth District Court in 2008 of three rapes against the same woman in 2002 and 2003 and jailed for 10 years.

In a judgment delivered today the Supreme Court said Sucuturaga had not raised anything to justify leave to appeal.

"Nor are we persuaded that a substantial miscarriage of justice might occur if leave were not granted."

- NZPA