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Offender Databases Jonathan Rumbold

Jonathan Rumbold

Alias

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Offences

Had sex with a 13 year Wellington schoolgirl in September 2006

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1971

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 2 years 6 months with parole eligibility after 10 months in November 2006

Background
From NZ Lawyer 24/11/2006
A "sexual predator" who lied about his age and met a young girl for sex after dropping off his partner at work was today jailed for two and a half years. Jonathan Rumbold, 35, appeared for sentencing before Judge Ian Mill in Wellington District Court after pleading guilty to three charges of sexual connection with a young person under the age of 16. Judge Mill said Rumbold had not met the 13-year-old girl before he began communicating with her through text messages in September. It was not made clear in court today how the pair initially made contact. Rumbold used a false name and told the girl he was 17. The only conclusion to be drawn from this was it was a ploy to gain the girl's confidence, Judge Mill said.

Rumbold sent the girl pictures of himself, some of which were indecent. The girl then realised he was older than he had said so he amended his first lie by saying he was 26. The pair arranged to meet in the early hours of the morning at around 6am. Rumbold dropped off his partner at work then had sex with the girl in his car. On another occasion he picked up the girl from school at lunch time and the pair again had sex. The offending only ended when the girl's stepfather saw some of the material on her mobile phone and informed police. Crown prosecutor Nick Chisnall said the victim had felt pressured into the situation and now suffered a loss of trust "in the general sense". Aggravating features were the great age difference and the fact it was repetitive offending.

The issue of whether or not the acts were consensual was irrelevant, Mr Chisnall said. Rumbold's lawyer Mike Antunovich said his client pleaded guilty to three charges, did not dispute the facts of the core offending and acknowledged a jail sentence was inevitable. He agreed a key aggravating fact was that the case involved a much older male and a much younger "naive" teenage girl. Rumbold acknowledged the offending had a very bad effect on the girl and her family and he was truly sorry, Mr Antunovich said. He was to be given credit for fully cooperating with police, entering an early guilty plea and for his lack of prior convictions, his lawyer said. "Apart from these serious offences it must be said he is otherwise of good character."

Judge Mill said he was not satisfied Rumbold accepted full responsibility for his actions. He said Rumbold's portrayal of the girl seeking him out was implausible. Rumbold should have terminated the contact from the start rather than taking advantage of a vulnerable person and indulging in his own sexual fantasy and needs, Judge Mill said. The girl had initially said she was 16. "By the time you offended you knew she was 13." By arranging to meet the girl early in the morning, Rumbold knew what was likely to happen, Judge Mill said. He said the sentence was to deter Rumbold and "like-minded sexual predators" about taking advantage of young girls.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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