Press Release

Stiff Prison Sentence For Sex Offender In Denial

Today 71 year old Dennis Newell was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court to eight and half years in prison.

Newell continues to deny the offending even though facing eight charges for sexual abuse of children under the age of 12 years spanning a decade of abuse some 40 years ago. In delivering the sentence Judge Paul Kellar told the court that Newell’s case had some chilling aspects.

ECPAT Child ALERT’s Director Alan Bell applauds the sentence. “This is a suitable sentence for a person who offended over a lengthy period. He should not get any less. He gets locked up for a few years but his victims have to live with the harm caused by his actions for a lifetime. I just hope this sends two messages to would be offenders. Firstly that this crime against vulnerable children will not be tolerated and will be dealt with severely. Secondly the long arm of the law covers a span of time and justice will eventually be meted out. This case should serve as a deterrent.”

The abuse victims present in court this morning asked the judge to allow publication of Newell's name and the lifting of name suppression was granted.

ECPAT Child ALERT is a child protection agency working to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.

ENDS

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