Robert Tukiri Jnr speaking at a school scholarship launch in 2020. Photo / Supplied
Robert Tukiri Jnr speaking at a school scholarship launch in 2020. Photo / Supplied
WARNING: This story is about sexual offending.
A young woman clearly remembers being a “happy little girl” who trusted people easily.
But that all changed when she turned 12 and she was sexually assaulted by Robert Manu Tukiri Jnr, a former governance member of the Tainui Tribunal Parliament.
“He brokesomething inside me that will never be fully repaired,” she told the court as he was recently sentenced for the historic sexual abuse of four children.
“I speak these words today so he knows exactly what he did.
“He is a predator, and I will never forgive him.”
‘A leading Māori advocate’
Tukiri, now 71, served a three-year term in a governance role on the Waikato Tainui Tribal Parliament and was a member of the organisation for 20 years.
He had also advocated on behalf of Tainui, was on the iwi community panel which liaised with police, was the chair of Waikeri Marae in Ngaruawāhia, and was a former chairperson of the Huntly West School board of trustees.
But he also had a darker side that’s now been revealed in court.
In August he was found guilty of 11 of 22 sexual assault charges.
Now he has been jailed for six years.
Robert Manu Tukiri Jnr, pictured in 2018. Photo / Supplied
‘I’ll make sure you don’t get pregnant’
The court heard one of his victims was asleep when she woke to Tukiri touching her. On a different occasion a second victim also woke to find him violating her.
He encouraged the third victim to drink so much that she vomited. Tukiri then put her to bed and began sexually violating her as she was in and out of consciousness and continued bouts of vomiting.
He told her at one point he would “make sure she didn’t get pregnant”.
He was also convicted of unlawful sexual connection and indecent assault of a fourth child victim.
‘Keep the discounts modest’
Crown solicitor Rebecca Mann urged the judge to take an overall starting point of around 10 to 11 years when determining Tukiri’s sentence.
However, when it came to discounts, she reminded the judge that he still denied his offending, so he should get nothing for remorse or insight, and a “modest” discount for age, health issues, and previous good character.
Robert Manu Tukiri Jnr has been jailed for six years for sexual offending against four young girls. Photo / Supplied
“Mr Tukiri can’t be described as a man of good character,” the judge replied. “At the time, he was not.”
However, he had made a positive impact on the community over the years, he said.
“What that identifies to me is that although we have seen and heard, and the jury has accepted, you are someone with a dark side, you are also someone who is committed to your community.”
Defence counsel Mark Fyers said the incidents were “fleeting”, single occasions, and suggested the judge come to an end jail term of three years and three months.
He said Tukiri had spent a lot of his life “making very positive contributions to the community and he has had extensive involvement in assisting people in his community being able to access services ... and working on the governance board for Tainui”.
He urged the judge to hand down a sentence of around three years and three months’ jail.
‘Motivated by your own sexual gratification’
Judge Crayton told Tukiri that he took away the victims’ innocence.
“Offending against our children is offending against our most precious taonga.
He allowed 20% for health issues, which included advanced kidney disease, cardiac dysfunction, severe lung disease, sleep apnoea, diabetes, and arthritis.
Judge Crayton took an overall starting point of nine years nine months before adjusting for totality, age, health, and previous good character.
However, he didn’t allow for any remorse, given that he maintained his innocence.
He was convicted on charges of unlawful sexual connection with a child 12 or under, attempted rape, indecent assault on victims aged between 12 and over 16.
Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for 10 years and has been a journalist for 21.
