escalating violence in our community Become a member of the Sensible Sentencing Trust

Mouseover links for full page descriptions

Offender Databases Richard Huata

Richard Ranapia Huata

Alias

.

Offences

Rape and unlawful sexual connection of a 53 year old Hastings woman in November 1998
Also three robberies in July and November 1998
Had just been released from prison for the stabbing of his ex-partner
Previous convictions for burglary, threatening to kill and wounding with intent to injure

Victims

.

Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1960

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 13 years with final release after 8 years 8 months in April 1999
To be updated

Background
From a Christchurch Press article 23rd April 1999
Richard Huata, 39, appeared in the High Court in Napier before Chief Justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum for sentence on a sexual violation charge, three robbery charges, three of assault with intent to rob, two of unlawfully entering buildings, and one of breaking out of a building after committing an offence.

From a Dominion article 23rd April 1999
A MAN sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment yesterday for raping and sodomising a 53-year-old Hastings woman would eat "bangers and mash every night" while the lives of two of his victims were ruined forever, one of his victims said yesterday. Speaking after Chief Justice Sir Thomas Eichelbaum sentenced Richard Ranapia Huata, 39, in the High Court at Napier, 81-year-old Eileen Kiddell said she would have liked to see Huata jailed for the rest of his life. "When I heard what he'd done to that poor woman. That was dreadful .... she's only 53 and he's ruined her life. He gets to eat bangers and mash for his tea and bacon and eggs for breakfast and she's too frightened to live on her own," Mrs Kiddell said.

At earlier court hearings Huata admitted a sexual violation charge, three robbery charges, three of assault with intent to rob, two of unlawfully entering buildings and one of breaking out of a building after committing an offence. The court was told that on July 26, 1997, an 85-year-old woman, who lived in one of a block of two flats in Hastings, arrived home after shopping. As she drove into her garage, she heard the door close and saw Huata. He grabbed her, demanding money and then dragged her inside, taking $45 in cash from her handbag before leaving. On November 7, 1998, Huata knocked at the door of the 53-year-old, pretending to ask for directions. As she opened it he forced his way in, held her by the throat, threatened her, took her clothes off, and raped and sodomised her before leaving with $5 he found.

On January 9 this year, he grabbed Mrs Kiddell outside her flat which adjoined the flat of his 85-year-old victim. He carried the slightly built and asthmatic Mrs Kiddell inside demanding money. When she scratched his face he hit her, breaking her collarbone. Huata's lawyer, Derek Quilliam, said all Huata's offending arose from his drug and alcohol addiction. He said Huata was deeply remorseful for the distress and injury he caused his victims, and was motivated to seek help for his addiction. Crown prosecutor Russell Collins sought the indefinite sentence of preventive detention. He said it was chilling that Huata's offending began soon after being freed from prison in 1997 from a four-year sentence for the stabbing of his partner after she left him.

He said Huata's psychiatric report pointed to a serious drug and alcohol problem which had had much intervention in the past - "all fruitless". Justice Eichelbaum said Huata's 53-year-old victim had psychiatric problems before his attack. They had increased dramatically and she could no longer live alone. Huata had a long list of offending including burglary, threatening to kill and wounding with intent to injure. Justice Eichelbaum said Huata's prompt pleas of guilty had eased the anxiety of his victims but it was clear he was a danger to society and at high risk of reoffending. He would not impose a sentence of preventive detention because Huata had some intellectual abilities, this was his first sexual offence and was motivated to seek help even though in the past such efforts had failed. He said the public needed protection from Huata and jailed him for 13 years.

---

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

Back to Top