19 Dec 2017

Pensioner who 'preyed on' young girls jailed

12:15 pm on 19 December 2017

A Dunedin pensioner, described by a judge as violent and deviant, has been jailed for eight years for sexually abusing six young girls over two decades.

The victims of Murray Oscar Kannewischer told the 85-year-old he had stolen their innocence and childhoods when he appeared in the Dunedin District Court today for sentencing on 21 historical sex charges.

Kannewischer saluted his lawyer as he was assisted into the dock by two Corrections officers.

Murray Oscar Kannewischer

Murray Oscar Kannewischer Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown

He was unanimously found guilty by jury of two counts of rape, one of indecent assault, 13 of indecency with a girl between 12 and 16, and five of indecency with a girl under 12.

The offending occurred between 1963 and 1983 and 11 of the charges were representative.

The court heard he told some of the victims not to reveal the offending. One victim said Kannewischer told her: "It's between you and I. Don't say anything. No-one will believe you anyway".

All six had victim impact statements read to the court.

One victim recalled how the offending turned her life upside down.

She lashed out and assaulted a friend.

"My friend and I were only little kids and things changed for me," she said.

"I could never make friends after it all happened. I could never trust anyone.

"I still get shaky thinking about it."

Another victim said she suffered post-traumatic stress as a result of the offending and had attempted to take her own life.

"I can't understand why anyone would like me when I don't like myself," she said.

"I can't trust anyone because of [the] betrayal."

A third victim said Kannewischer had brought fear into her young life.

"Going through the trial brought back nightmares I had stored away for years."

Kannewischer maintains his innocence.

During the trial, the defence attempted to dismiss the victims' evidence as unreliable, vague, inconsistent and illogical.

However, the Crown successfully argued that the victims were doing their best to recall traumatic events committed in their formative years, some of the victims being as young as six when some of the offending began.

Judge Michael Crosbie paid tribute to the victims for their bravery in coming forward and speaking out against the offender.

"Collectively you are a strong, formidable group of women and you are all survivors," he said.

Judge Crosbie then reprimanded Kannewischer for his offending and ongoing denial.

"You preyed on these defenseless, young women ... with a theme coming through from several of them that what you were doing would help them or be good for them.

"It can only be seen as perverse."