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Warning: This story deals with details of sexual offending against a child and may be distressing.
“Your crime against my child has had a profound impact on him, and on me, and on our family... you stole his childhood forever.”
Those were the words spoken to a sex offender by a mother whose neurodiverse teen had been out walking late at night, while distressed, and had “no comprehension of the dangers he might face” before being preyed upon.
The court heard the then 14-year-old, whom the police summary of facts stated was assigned female at birth but now identifies as male, was cold and tired and decided to hitch a ride home.
Simranjeet Sahota was sentenced to 26 months' imprisonment after he had "extensive" sexual contact with a 14-year-old in a Bay of Plenty park late at night.
Simranjeet Sahota, then 29, pulled over and offered him a lift.
There was a female passenger in the car with Sahota and the teen got in.
After asking to be taken to a park, rather than reveal a home address, the car made its way towards a Bay of Plenty suburb, and Sahota dropped off the female passenger on the way.
When Sahota and the victim reached the park, both of them got out and Sahota followed the teen to a swing set, where Sahota initiated sexual contact.
In her victim impact statement, the teen’s mother spoke of the “profound” impact the offending had on her, her child, and their family.
The teen had battled with self-worth, self-harm, difficulties retaining a job, challenges with schooling, and no longer trusted people.
Simranjeet Sahota was sentenced in Tauranga District Court yesterday. Photo / Google Maps
A once “larger than life” happy child, the victim’s mother said Sahota had “stolen that”.
“You plied my child with alcohol, he was 14 years old,” she said.
“You destroyed his innocence.”
After the sexual contact, her child had “stayed in the park until morning, frozen with fear and shame, not fully comprehending what had happened to him”.
Sahota had been told how old the victim was, and “you still did that”, the mother said.
Her child had been young, vulnerable, and “totally alone in that moment”.
“It was a moment for you of pure, premeditated malice, just to get what you wanted,” the mother said.
Her child still had sleep problems − staying awake much of the night and sleeping during the day.
The mother said despite Sahota taking away their “lightness and enjoyment” of life, they would find hope again.
“We will find life again because we choose to be better people,” she said.
“But it’s a lonely and difficult road for us.”
She said “not a day goes by without the shadow of what you’ve done”. She hoped Sahota would remember what he’d done, the impact it had, and that it would motivate him to change his life.
According to the summary of facts, after the teen and Sahota arrived at the park, Sahota followed the child to the swings and began kissing the victim.
He told Sahota he was turning 15 in a couple of days. Sahota smiled and continued to touch him.
Sahota put his hand up the victim’s shirt, before indecently touching him.
Sahota told the victim to move to the rubber mats under the swings.
The summary said the victim did not say no as he was fearful of what might happen.
Sahota then attempted to have sex in a different manner but the victim said no and Sahota stopped.
He resumed sexual intercourse before he “forced” the victim to perform a sexual act on him.
At about 2.30am, Sahota left the victim at the playground, went to his car to get some more beer, and then left.
‘Never seen anyone less remorseful than you’
At sentencing, Crown prosecutor Daniel Coulson highlighted the teen’s vulnerability, Sahota’s lack of remorse, and the harm caused to the victim and the victim’s family.
Coulson said it was predatory offending with an element of premeditation.
“The defendant took steps to isolate the victim,” Coulson said.
There was an inherent breach of trust and extensive sexual contact.
Sahota’s lawyer James Greenland asked for some allowance for the impact the sentence would have on Sahota’s family and also sought a discount for Sahota’s previous good character and lack of convictions.
Judge Melinda Mason took a starting point of three years’ imprisonment.
While acknowledging Sahota’s previous good character and positive involvement in a church, the judge said she agreed with the Crown that there could be no discount for remorse.
“I have actually never seen anyone less remorseful than you,” Judge Mason said.
“Your comments in the pre-sentence report, even taking your cultural background into account, show no remorse whatsoever. The Crown referred to victim-blaming, and that’s how I read it as well.”
She said the letter of remorse, “if you could call it that”, focused only on the impact on Sahota himself and “not any impact of the offending on the victim”.
Sahota was given a 12% discount for his guilty plea, with the judge noting its delay and the defendant had earlier denied a sentence indication.
He was also given a 2% discount for time spent on bail, a 3% discount for the impact his sentence would have on his family, and a 10% discount for previous good character.
Judge Mason reached an end sentence of 26 months' imprisonment.
Sahota will be automatically registered on the child sex offender’s register, due to his custodial sentence.
Where to get help: If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:
• Call 0800 044 334
• Text 4334
• Email support@safetotalk.nz
• For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz
Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list. If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.
Hannah Bartlett is a Tauranga-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She previously covered court and local government for the Nelson Mail, and before that was a radio reporter at Newstalk ZB.
