Man jailed for assault on girl, 11

A Christchurch District Court judge threatened to clear some of the public seating in his courtroom today as animosity over a sexual assault on a young girl spilled over.

A woman sitting in the front row complained about supporters of the accused, Falelinu John Stowers, sitting in the row behind her. "This one keeps making smart-mouth comments behind my back," she told Judge Stephen Erber.

Security officers attended the court and Stowers' sentencing continued in silence until applause and more verbal exchanges broke out when he was jailed and the court adjourned.

Stowers, a 40-year-old farm worker, pleaded guilty to the charge of attempted sexual violation which occurred in a Canterbury township when the girl was 11. She is now in her late teens and was in court to hear Stowers' apology expressed by defence counsel Kerry Cook.

Mr Cook argued that because of Stowers' remorse and steps he had taken himself to attend a Stop programme for sex offenders, a home detention sentence could be imposed.

Prosecutor Justin Wall said the Crown opposed a home detention sentence because of the vulnerability of the victim and the profound effects upon her.

Judge Erber said Stowers had been visiting a house and drinking, and at 1am he had gone into the girl's bedroom where he fondled her breasts, put his tongue in her mouth, and touched her genitals with his hand.

Her life had been severely disrupted by the offending. Her school work had deteriorated, she might be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and had attempted to harm herself. She had feelings of shame and a loss of her sense of safety.

He said Stowers had a "pretty rough childhood" and was assessed as a high risk of reoffending without treatment. "You have a poly-addiction, to gambling, drinking, and drugs, which has cornered your life," Judge Erber said.

He ruled out home detention but reduced Stowers' sentence for his guilty plea. He imposed a two year four month jail term and said he hoped Stowers would continue with treatment programmes during the sentence because the probation report considered there was a real prospect for rehabilitation.

- NZPA