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Offender Databases Levi Salele

Levi Salele

Alias

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Offences

Rape and two counts of unlawful sexual connection with a 4 year old Hutt Valley girl in December 2003

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

.

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1978

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 9 years with a minimum 4 year 6 month non-parole period in July 2004

Background
From the Dominion Post July 31 2004
A SAMOAN overstayer has been jailed for nine years for raping the four-year-old daughter of the family he was staying with. Levi Salele, 26, unemployed, who had been living in the Hutt Valley, had pleaded guilty to one charge of rape and two of unlawful sexual connection. Wellington District Court judge Mike Behrens, QC, jailed him yesterday and ordered him to serve a minimum of 4 years 6 months before being eligible for parole.

He told Salele he needed to get help. Salele had been at home with the youngest daughter of the family on December 12 last year when the rape happened. He often cared for their children. When her mother arrived home from work he went to church and was called back when the child complained and blood was found in her underpants. Salele had told police he was having fantasies about adult women at the time.

Judge Behrens said he was not willing to accept any of the submissions that Salele felt trapped and pressured. He said he took into account that Salele had been trusted with the children and that the victim suffered injury, as well as Salele's telling the police everything and the family's forgiveness. Salele's lawyer Chris Nicholls said his client had wanted to go back to Samoa but had been told it would have to wait.

Salele had little emotional development or understanding and had grown up in a family ruled by his father, Mr Nicholls said. He had only ever been in one relationship but had even moved home after being ordered to by his father. Mr Nicholls said Salele felt trapped and vunerable and that there were things in his life outside of his control. He said it tipped him over the edge and caused him to act out fantasies. Salele would be deported once he had served his sentence.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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