Martial arts teacher violated young pupil
The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 25 September 2007
A Masterton martial arts teacher has been jailed for two years and nine months for sexual offences against a girl who had been one of his pupils.
Eric Thomas Virgo Loane, 50, pleaded guilty to the five charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and two charges of indecent assault, relating to a nine-year-old girl nearly 20 years ago.
In Wellington District Court yesterday, Judge Denys Barry said Loane ran a martial arts centre that the girl had attended and he came to know her family.
Through the family contact she sometimes stayed at his house and the offending began there.
The victim is now in her 20s and the guilt and anger about what happened had blighted her life, the judge said.
Defence lawyer Ken Daniels said Loane’s guilt and remorse blighted his life as well.
Loane’s offending had started at a low point in his life when he had separated from his wife and was under great stress.
Crown lawyer Nick Chisnall pointed to an element of sexual grooming in what Loane had done.
The judge said the victim felt helpless and unable to tell anyone, mostly because she felt she would not be believed.
He refused to continue an order that had suppressed Loane’s name.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4213439a12855.html
Sad, there are probably more incidences like this.