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Offender Databases Gerald Bennett

Gerald Murray Bennett

Alias

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Offences

29 sex charges against three Waikato boys aged 11 to 14 between April and August of 1997
Charges included anal rape, indecent assault, sexual violation and inducing indecent acts.

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1975

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to six years in November 1997

Background
From Waikato Times story Nov 29th 1997
A 22-year-old solo father who admitted 29 sex charges against three boys has been sentenced to six years' prison.

Hamilton District Court Judge Michael Hobbs yesterday suppressed the details of Gerald Murray Bennett's offending between April and August this year. He said he did this to protect the identity of the victims who are aged 11, 12 and 14. While Judge Hobbs refused a defence request to grant permanent name suppression, the Times cannot say where Bennett lived because that may also identify the victims.

Bennett faced charges of anal intercourse, indecent assault, sexual violation and inducing indecent acts. Judge Hobbs said Bennett was obviously confused about his sexuality and clearly needed help. Matthew Ward-Johnson, for the Crown, said Bennett's offending was a gross breach of trust. He said Bennett had robbed the victims of their childhoods and they would be affected for the rest of their lives.

When discussing the length of sentence, Judge Hobbs said: "There can be little doubt that these kind of gross indecencies with boys this age is at the higher end of this kind of offending." Bennett's lawyer, Maurice Knuckey, asked for the shortest possible sentence given the seriousness of the offending. Bennett was a single parent leading an otherwise normal life in a small town, Mr Knuckey said. Bennett was remorseful and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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