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Offender Databases Stephen Hand

Stephen Keith Hand

Alias

.

Offences

Rape (premeditated, violent, brutal and sustained) of a Christchurch woman in April 1997

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1957

Current Location

At large in Christchurch

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 8 years 6 months in June 1998
Released early 2005

Background
From Dominion story July 7th 1998
A Christchurch rape case in which the victim claimed the wrong man was convicted is to go to the Court of Appeal. James O'Neill, lawyer for Stephen Keith Hand who was jailed last month for 8 years 6 months, confirmed yesterday that an appeal had been lodged against the conviction. Hand, 40, a builder, denied raping a woman at Anzac weekend last year but he was found guilty by a jury.

When Hand appeared for sentencing last month the woman, 45, wrote a letter to Judge David Holderness saying Hand was not her attacker. She also said she was "devastated" by the jury verdict. The jury deliberated for more than 10 hours after listening to four days of evidence. During the trial the court was told Hand and the victim knew each other. Judge Holderness told Hand when sentencing him that there were "very unusual aspects of this case, but I am bound by the verdict of the jury for sentencing purposes".

From Waikato Times article June 9th 1998
builder who concealed his identity during the rape of a woman was caught out by a scrunched-up ball of tape, the prosecution alleged in Christchurch District Court.

Stephen Keith Hand, 40, allegedly covered his face and did not speak throughout the attack. He also allegedly used a condom, surgical gloves and taped his victim's mouth and wrist.

From Christchurch Press article June 9th 1998
A builder who managed to conceal his identity during a violent and sustained rape was caught out by a tiny forensic clue, the Christchurch District Court has been told.

Stephen Keith Hand, 40 (James O'Neill), allegedly covered his face and did not speak throughout the attack on a woman he knew. He also used a condom and wore surgical gloves to avoid leaving any trace of his identity. About 1.30am on April 26 last year - about 30 minutes after the rapist fled into the night - Hand appeared outside the woman's house. Untruths admitted When Hand was spoken to by detectives, he said he was alerted by the dog in his car ``going crazy'' and had not recently changed his clothes or showered.

From Christchurch Press article June 11th 1998
A rape victim has told the Christchurch District Court that she does not believe that a man she knows was responsible.

Stephen Keith Hand, 40, denies raping the woman on April 26 last year. Prosecutor Jane Farish said Hand concealed his face and deliberately avoided speaking during the attack, during which he used surgical gloves and a condom to avoid revealing his identity. Around 1.30am, within an hour of fleeing into the night, Hand arrived at the woman's house ``perhaps to comfort her, like a knight in shining armour''.

He told conflicting accounts to police about his reason for stopping and lied that he had not recently showered and changed, Ms Farish said.

From Christchurch Press article June 12th 1998
A Christchurch District Court jury was last night considering its verdicts in a rape trial in which the victim denies the defendant is responsible.

Stephen Keith Hand, 40, denies raping the woman in the early hours on April 26 last year. Prosecutor Jane Farish said Hand had concealed his identity so well during the sustained and brutal attack that the woman was unable to tell it was someone she knew well.

From Christchurch Press article June 13th 1998
A man who raped a woman was caught out by a tiny forensic clue. Stephen Keith Hand, 40, a builder, took great pains to hide his identity from his victim who he knew.

Hand concealed his identity so well during the attack soon after midnight on April 26 last year that his victim was unable to identify him. She could not believe he was capable of strangling, punching, and raping her. However, Hand returned to the scene of the crime within an hour of fleeing, having changed and showered. In Hand's car a detective found a small piece of 50mm tape matching that used to bind the victim.

From Christchurch Press article June 27th 1998
A builder has been sentenced to 8 years 6 months jail for rape, despite the victim's claim that he is not the man who attacked her.

Stephen Keith Hand, 40, knew the woman but successfully concealed his identity by covering his face, remaining silent, and using gloves and a condom to prevent leaving any forensic evidence.

He was caught out by a tiny piece of masking tape which an alert detective spotted in his car when Hand returned to the scene within an hour of the late-night attack and feigned concern for her. The ragged end of the tape matched perfectly with tape which had been used to bind and gag the victim. A Christchurch District Court jury deliberated for 10 hours

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Corrections and Additional Information
We endeavour to make this database as accurate as possible, but we are at the mercy of whatever information we can find in various online and offline archives. We rely on the public - that is, people like you - to fill in the gaps that we cannot. If you wish to submit additional information or a correction to this file CLICK HERE . Privacy: Trust policy is that all sources are treated as strictly confidential unless we are explicitly told otherwise. If you wish to see a file removed from this database certain conditions must be met by the offender set out HERE Note that this does NOT apply for those that are the primary offender in a murder, rape, or any sexual offending involving minors. We do not enter into correspondence regarding the guilt/innocence of offenders. Such correspondence is not responded to, especially if the offender concerned has a number of prior convictions

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