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Archived Press Releases 2008 19th May 2008

COURT OF APPEAL – LEGISLATORS SLAMMED in PAEDOPHILE CASE

(19th May 2008)

“Perfect neighbour” was a convicted paedophile who had his sentence lowered by the Court of Appeal and was released early on Parole.

“We believe the Court of Appeal failed to protect the public, and that privacy laws for paedophiles are ridiculous – they expose innocent young babies and children to an unacceptable and predictable risk. We vow to continue naming them on our website until legislators listen and common sense prevails.”

That was the promise from the Sensible Sentencing Trust after acknowledging it had given a story to the Sunday Star Times newspaper about a mother who was outraged to find her “perfect neighbour” was indeed a convicted paedophile. To make matters worse the Court of Appeal had reduced his previous sentence and he was granted early parole.

Trust Spokesman Garth McVicar said his organization had been approached by the distraught mother after the neighbour she trusted was caught indecently touching her five year old daughter. Kain has since pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the five-year-old and her seven year old sister.

“We decided this story needed national exposure because it appears our legislators and politicians are incapable of protecting our children, and instead pass privacy laws that protect predators like this scum.”

64 year-old Kevin Bernard Kain was convicted in 1997 of four charges of attempted rape, indecent assault and sexual violation of a girl under 12, the Judge at the time said Kain treated his victim as a “sex-toy” but his nine year sentence was cut to six-and-a-half years by the Court of Appeal, and being eligible for early parole Kain served only two thirds of that.

McVicar said the Sensible Sentencing Trust had recently appeared before a Parliamentary Select Committees to ask for laws to be changed to protect children from recidivist sex-offenders.

“We were told that current legislation was working okay!”

“A Government's foremost duty is protection of the public, but they are not interested in protecting even our most vulnerable. When repeat offenders like this can shelter behind privacy laws something is seriously amiss.”

“Who are the real criminals, those committing the crime – or the legislators allowing them to do so?”

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.