Nelson man Shannon Telfar has been sentenced to eight years in prison for the rape and indecent assault of a young woman four years ago, which he denied. Photo / 123RF
Nelson man Shannon Telfar has been sentenced to eight years in prison for the rape and indecent assault of a young woman four years ago, which he denied. Photo / 123RF
Warning: This story references rape and sexual assault and may be upsetting to some readers.
A young woman who was raped by an older man she was socialising with still struggles to breathe when remembering the fear of him pulling her on to the bed that night.
The woman toldShannon Douglas Telfar he would have no idea of how it felt to want to “rip your own skin off”, as a result of being indecently touched.
She said everything about him, and how he had taken advantage of her and how he had created stories to protect himself, disgusted her.
However, she said “the truth always comes out”, and after being sentenced on Friday to eight years’ imprisonment, he would always be known for what he had done.
A jury found Telfar, a forklift driver, guilty of indecent assault and rape, after a trial earlier this year.
On Friday, the victim’s mother said in a statement she read in the Nelson District Court that he had tried to hide behind the church but a true Christian lived by the values of God, and Telfar had not.
Forklift driver Shannon Telfar denied raping and indecently assaulting a young woman. On Friday he was sentenced to eight years in prison for the crimes after a jury found him guilty. Photo / Tracy Neal
The victim said she had learned that even people known to her “can do bad things”.
“I still remember the look on your face when you forced me to touch you,” she said.
Four years on, the young woman said she still had nightmares and was afraid of being alone with any adult man.
The victim’s mother acknowledged Telfar’s family, some of whom were present for the sentencing, with many supporters.
She said they too were victims, and her heart went out to those who continued to stand by him.
‘Premeditated and persistent’
Crown prosecutor Sophie O’Donoghue said the offending was premeditated and persistent.
She said Telfar, 47, had control of his actions but chose to offend to satisfy his own sexual interests.
The victim was vulnerable, there was a disparity in age, size and strength, and there has been a breach of trust.
Defence lawyer Tony Bamford said the aggravating features were accepted.
Judge Jo Rielly said Telfar was drinking and socialising with friends at home on June 23, 2021.
The victim, who was in her late teens and knew Telfar, was also there socialising and drinking with the group.
After the friends had left, Telfar and the victim went to different rooms. Telfar then began messaging her “repeatedly”, urging her to go to his room.
Judge Rielly said the messages were “pleading” and “demanding” and ultimately, vulgar.
Eventually, the victim went to his room, believing he was unwell, but when she handed him a bowl she thought he needed, he instead grabbed her and pulled her on to the bed.
Judge Rielly said Telfar then raped the victim, who froze, unsure of what to do.
About a month later, he indecently assaulted her at another social occasion but she was able to escape and call for help.
Judge Rielly said Telfar had maintained that the events did not happen. He even gave evidence that the victim “might have had a sexual interest in him”.
However, the victim continued to struggle to understand how Telfar got any enjoyment from what he had done to her.
“She is disgusted, hurt and traumatised,” Judge Rielly said.
She noted the family support Telfar had received and how those who knew him, including parents, siblings, children, stepchildren, his partner, ex-partner and others in the community, struggled to associate events with him.
However, his use of alcohol on this occasion may have disinhibited him to act in ways others had not seen.
Judge Rielly said it was clear Telfar had alcohol misuse issues but they were not linked to his behaviour, and neither could the court consider alcohol consumption as a mitigating factor.
“Nothing I say today is intended to reflect on you as a person generally, because it’s clear you are a much-loved member of your whānau and community, but I need to focus on your offending behaviour and denounce that.”
From the starting point of an eight-and-a-half-year prison, Telfar was given a modest credit for the impact his imprisonment would have on his youngest child.
His release would be determined by the Parole Board.
Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.
