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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Appeal over Aborigine rape ruling | Appeal over Aborigine rape ruling |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Senior Australian lawyers are appealing against a judge's decision to allow nine Aborigine males to walk free from court after admitting rape. | Senior Australian lawyers are appealing against a judge's decision to allow nine Aborigine males to walk free from court after admitting rape. |
| Queensland Attorney General Kerry Shine labelled the ruling unacceptable and "manifestly inadequate". | Queensland Attorney General Kerry Shine labelled the ruling unacceptable and "manifestly inadequate". |
| The nine males were given non-custodial sentences for raping a 10-year-old girl in an Aboriginal settlement in 2006. | The nine males were given non-custodial sentences for raping a 10-year-old girl in an Aboriginal settlement in 2006. |
| The judge provoked widespread anger by commenting that the girl had "probably agreed to have sex" with the gang. | The judge provoked widespread anger by commenting that the girl had "probably agreed to have sex" with the gang. |
| The attorney general said he did not see the relevance of Judge Sarah Bradley's comments, made during sentencing in Cairns in October. | The attorney general said he did not see the relevance of Judge Sarah Bradley's comments, made during sentencing in Cairns in October. |
| "Any child under the age of 12 cannot legally give consent to sexual intercourse, so the relevance of the judge's remark mystifies me," he said. | "Any child under the age of 12 cannot legally give consent to sexual intercourse, so the relevance of the judge's remark mystifies me," he said. |
| System failure | System failure |
| Six juveniles were placed on probation after pleading guilty to the rape of the girl, in the settlement of Aurukun in northern Queensland. | Six juveniles were placed on probation after pleading guilty to the rape of the girl, in the settlement of Aurukun in northern Queensland. |
| The system clearly failed this little girl Queensland state PremierAnna Bligh | The system clearly failed this little girl Queensland state PremierAnna Bligh |
| Three older men received suspended jail sentences. | |
| Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was horrified by the case and appalled at the judgement. | Australia's newly-elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was horrified by the case and appalled at the judgement. |
| State officials have announced a review of all sex abuse verdicts in Aboriginal Queensland over the past two years. | State officials have announced a review of all sex abuse verdicts in Aboriginal Queensland over the past two years. |
| Meanwhile, Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh confirmed reports that the girl was first sexually assaulted at Aurukun in 2002 by several juveniles. They were not charged. | Meanwhile, Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh confirmed reports that the girl was first sexually assaulted at Aurukun in 2002 by several juveniles. They were not charged. |
| Ms Bligh said the girl was placed into foster care after the incident but was returned to the settlement in April 2006, where she was gang-raped shortly after. | Ms Bligh said the girl was placed into foster care after the incident but was returned to the settlement in April 2006, where she was gang-raped shortly after. |
| "The system clearly failed this little girl," said Ms Bligh. A welfare officer who took the decision to send the child back to Aurukun has been sacked and two others suspended. | "The system clearly failed this little girl," said Ms Bligh. A welfare officer who took the decision to send the child back to Aurukun has been sacked and two others suspended. |