Vailea Pola was jailed for 16 years for sexually abusing two children in a breach of trust described as "gross" by the judge. (Posed photograph.) (Photo / 123RF)

'Sinister, abhorrent, gross' child sex offender jailed

News
Crime

Author: Anna Leask, NZ Herald,
Publish Date: Thu, 10 May 2018, 9:52PM

A sinister, abhorrent and entitled sexual deviant has been jailed for 16 years for the prolonged sexual abuse of two children.

Vailea Pola must serve at least half of his sentence before he can apply for parole - and will be deported to Tonga as soon as he leaves prison.

Pola was sentenced in the Manukau District Court today after earlier being convicted on 15 charges relating to the sexual abuse of two young people spanning a five-year period.

He denied all of the offending - but a jury found him guilty of raping and sexually violating a girl and sexually violating and indecently assaulting a boy.

The court heard that the abuse started soon after Pola moved to South Auckland from Tonga.

He would go into the bedrooms of the children and rape, violate or assault them - or seek them out when they were away from other people, including in the bathroom.

When he raped the girl he covered her mouth with his hand to stop her from screaming out, and told her that she would "never see her parents again" if she told anyone what had happened.

He told the boy he would "smash him" if he disclosed the abuse.

The Herald has chosen not to publish any specifics of the offending to spare the victims, who are now in their late teens, any further pain.

They were both in court - after giving evidence at Pola's trial - to see him jailed.

They also prepared Victim Impact Statements for the court, which were read in full.

Judge Chris McGuire said the statements brought home "graphically and vividly" the pain Pola had caused his young victims.

They both revealed they had self harmed as a result of the offending.

They also spoke of living in fear of Pola, struggling at school and with relationships and the heartbreak of people close to them not believing them when they finally revealed what he had been doing to them.

"I was only a child, but I knew that what he was doing was wrong," the boy said.

Judge McGuire said a pre-sentence report prepared by Probation Services showed the true extent of Pola's dark side.

"Your response was the victims' had lied and you called them troublemakers - you show no remorse," he said.

During the interview for the report, Pola was "relaxed, casual and even laughed at times" when questioned about his sex crimes.

Judge McGuire said those crimes were "abhorrent".

The report also identified Pola as a sexual deviant with a propensity for violence, intimidation and exploitation of others.

He was also very entitled.

"It seems almost to be a sinister, creeping development in our society that or whatever absurd reason, serious sex and other offenders somehow imagine that they are entitled to do what they do - to wreck the lives of others," said Judge McGuire.

"You've caused physical, emotional and psychological harm to two vulnerable children.

"You exploited their trust and stolen their innocence ... the breach of trust, frankly, was gross."

Judge McGuire said aggravating factors in the offending was the age and vulnerability of the victims, the "planning and premeditation" of Pola making advances when they were alone and the repeated threats of violence.

Crown prosecutor Ben Smith sought a sentence of 16 years in prison with no discount for Pola's otherwise clean record.

He said while in some cases a discount for a lack of previous offending was appropriate - it was not for Pola.

"The defendant shows no remorse ... he continues to deny the offending," Smith told the court.

He also asked Judge McGuire to impose a minimum term of imprisonment.

Defence lawyer Nalesoni Tupou said there was no need for an MPI (minimum term of imprisonment) as Pola would be deported "as soon as the sun sets on his term of imprisonment".

He said the rapist had no criminal record in Tonga.

However Judge McGuire said the community needed and deserved full protection from Pola and ordered that he serve at least 50 per cent of his sentence.

"I disagree that you do not pose a threat," he said.

"Without acknowledging your wrongdoing, any rehabilitation is frankly impossible and that in the fullness of time when you are released without rehabilitation you are at a high risk of further offending."

Pola, who was aided through sentencing by a Tongan translator, did not show any emotion.

"Judges are often asked if they agree with the jury's verdict," said Judge McGuire.

"I have no hesitation in this case in saying the jury got it right."

If you're in danger NOW:

Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people.
• Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you.
• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay.