Appeal in child abduction case

14TH February 2016

Following the abduction of 5 year old Shekinah Relies-Skipper in Palmerston North a prominent victim’s organisation is appealing to all Members of Parliament to support its call for a publicly available sex offender register.

Sensible Sentencing Trust founder, Garth McVicar, said Members of Parliament were elected by the community and as such had an obligation to ensure children were safe in the community.

“Having a child abducted is a parent’s worst nightmare but it is also of huge concern to every New Zealander.”

McVicar said it was virtually a copy-cat crime that motivated him and his wife to set up the Sensible Sentencing Trust. “Teresa Cormack was abducted and murdered in my home town and being parents of four daughters Anne and I decided we could not sit back and allow this crazy offender friendly mentality to go unchallenged.” [Jules Mikus who was ultimately convicted of Teresa Cormack's murder had 78 previous convictions but had been released back into an unsuspecting community]

Sensible Sentencing quickly caught the imagination of thousands of New Zealanders and is now New Zealander's largest privately funded justice reform and victims advocacy organisation and has successfully lobbied for many legislative changes. A sex offender register is their latest campaign.

“While this little girl may have escaped the fate Teresa suffered there is no doubt that the abductor had sinister intentions. Most of the predators who commit these crimes are known to the police for previous offences but have been released by a pervasive criminal friendly mentality that is focused on the well-being of the offender with the resultant toll and cost to public safety.”

“Not only must this predator be caught and punished every Member of Parliament should unite to ensure the safety and protection of children is of paramount consideration.”

Sensible Sentencing Trust has a submission before Parliament that if successful would see a publicly available child sex-offender register established.

“Our call is for our elected representatives to do what they are elected to do and ensure children are safe from known predators, the abduction of this 5 year old girl will surely motivate our MPs to do the right thing and support our submission.”

ENDS

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