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Offender Databases Phillip Edwards

Phillip Tuahine Mark Edwards

Alias

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Offences

Sexual violation of two Invercargill girls aged 12 and 13 in July 2006
A number of previous convictions for cultivating cannabis and possession of cannabis

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

Mongrel Mob

Age

Born 1971

Current Location

At large

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 20 months imprisonment in September 2007
Sentenced to just 20 months in April 2008 for the sexual violation charges
Due to be released March 2009

Background
From the Southland Times 25th April 2008
TEXT messages sent by a 12-year-old girl to an Invercargill Mongrel Mob member led to her sexual violation by the man's brother, the Invercargill District Court heard yesterday.

Senior Mob member Phillip Tuahine Edwards, 36, appeared before Judge Kevin Phillips for sentence on two charges of sexual connection with young persons aged between 12 and 16, relating to the then 12-year-old and her 13-year-old friend as a result of an incident that took place in Invercargill on July 18, 2006.

Crown solicitor Mary Jane Thomas said Edwards' guilty pleas entered minutes before a jury was supposed to be selected for his trial that was set to start on February 11 had spared his victims the ordeal of trial and cross-examination. Edwards' lawyer David Slater said while the pleas did not afford an excuse, credit had to be given for them.

Judge Phillips said the pleas had led to a charge of rape being withdrawn by the Crown. The 12-year-old girl had been sending text messages suggesting a sexual liaison to a Mob member's cellphone. However, that phone had been borrowed by Edwards, Judge Phillips said.

"You were the one texting back to her ... You took that up (the suggestions of the 12-year-old)." A meeting was arranged in Russel Square, Invercargill, in the late afternoon, with the 12-year-old taking her 13-year-old friend along. Edwards met them there before driving to Fosbender Park, he said. Sex was discussed on the way.

On arrival at the park the 13-year-old removed her undergarments and Edwards placed her on the boot of the car and began to initiate sex. The girl said "no" and Edwards stopped, Judge Phillips said. He then turned his attention to the younger girl, placing her on the bonnet of the car. He then had sex with her.

The incident was not detected until the 13-year-old mentioned it to a school counsellor some time later. The 12-year-old, who had connections to the Mob, later said she had regretted setting up the meeting after seeing Edwards at Russel Square.

However, she felt she could not back out because of the Mob connection, the judge said. The 13-year-old, who had previously been known as a "goody- good" at school, was profoundly changed, rebelled and had since ended up in alternative education, he said.

Edwards had responded to the younger girl's advances because "you knew she wanted sex and stepped up for your brother" , Judge Phillips told him. "These girls were available and you thought you had a right to have sex with them." An appropriate starting point for sentence was two years and eight months' jail. However, he would allow 10 months for the guilty pleas, Judge Phillips said, before sentencing Edwards to one year and 10 months' jail.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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