In New Zealand: Opotiki teens jailed for raping Japanese tourist

A Japanese tourist was brutally raped and robbed in her bedroom by two teenage gang prospects, as her Opotiki host family watched television in another room.

Today her attackers Ranginui Rahi, 18, and Mark Hati, 16, both of Opotiki, were convicted and sentenced in Whakatane District Court to nine years’ imprisonment for rape and sexual violation. Judge Peter Rollo also sentenced them to four years’ jail for aggravated robbery to be served concurrently.

“It was a disgusting, brutal, degrading crime – a prolonged and violent attack on a young Japanese tourist to our country,” Judge Rollo said. He said Hati and Rahi had damaged their 22-year-old victim’s mana as well as physically injuring her internally and externally. “You treated her with degrading violence for your own sexual pleasure.”

Flanked by police officers, the teenagers stood with blank faces and hands clasped in front of them as the judge told how they broke into the Ford Street house on the night of August 31.

Rahi was armed with a baseball bat while Hati had a piece of firewood. Judge Rollo said they saw the host family watching TV and crept into the girl’s room to steal a laptop they had seen through the window.

Finding her in the room, they shut the door and each raped her several times and forced her to perform oral sex on them, all the while threatening her and searching the room for valuables, Judge Rollo said.The pair were caught by police two days later and entered guilty pleas soon after.

The judge said Hati had been prospecting for the Mongrel Mob since he was 13 and said he expected to become a patched member as a result of this offending when he was released from prison.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Standen said police would convey the outcome to the victim, who was still in New Zealand, as soon as she could be contacted and they had also been in touch with the Japanese Consulate.

bron: www.nzherald.co.nz - NZPA

Chinese workers living in Angola targeted by gangs

Chinese businessmen in Angola said Sunday that armed gangs are staging “mafia-style” attacks on their workers, calling for the local government to deploy more police to fight crime.

“In the last three months, everyday I have gotten reports from Chinese targeted by robbery, rape and beatings. The criminals are so cruel that they make me feel horrible,” said Xu Ning, the head of the Chinese Business Council in Luanda, who has lived in the Angolan capital for more than 10 years.

Xu told the Global Times that gunmen took away his newly bought Mitsubishi truck Saturday near a police station. “The robbers are not afraid of the police at all,” Xu said. “Some police offices only have one policeman, and they themselves are frightened by the gunmen, not to mention helping us.”

“These are not just normal robberies. … They are planned, like mafia-style attacks. The gangs go first to inspect premises, and then they go back with AK-47s,” said Eddie Zhang, head of the Shanghai Urban Construction Group, the company building Luanda’s new football stadium for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.

Zhang said his staff had not had any problems, but he had warned his workers to take extra care. More than 40,000 Chinese workers are employed in Angola, around 90 percent on construction sites. Language, cultural barrier, and the habit of carrying cash, seem to be the reasons they are targeted.

Xu said the largest amount robbed he knew of was $700,000. “As the Chinese seldom resist, the hijackers became ever bolder,” he added. According to Xu, Angolans are allowed to carry guns, but foreigners who are not entitled to permanent residency are not.

A spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Luanda said that they were aware of incidents against Chinese nationals and were working with Angolan authorities to resolve the problem.

Not only in Angola are Chinese nationals facing a rise in violent attacks, theft and extortion, according to Xinhua, but also in Kyrgyzstan. Several Chinese were injured in burglaries and road robberies in which they were attacked with sticks and guns, said a statement released by the Chinese embassy Friday.

Having been to more than 20 African countries, Liu Hongwu, director of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, told the Global Times ways of looking after oneself abroad.

“First, you should learn about consular protection, and know where and how to get help when an emergency occurs; second, you should have enough knowledge of the culture, religions and laws in the country and make sure you do not go against them. Finally, it never hurts to be cautious, cautious and cautious, especially when you know the place is not safe,” Liu said.

bron: china.globaltimes.cn [16-11-2009]

Agencies contributed to this story

Man kills mum when she finds him masturbating

A 22-year-old murdered his mum when she caught him in masturbating.

Dino Babic (22), smashed his mum Silvana over the head with a small statue and then suffocated her at their family home in young man in Split, Croatia, daily newspaper Vecernji List reported today (Mon).

He called cops after the killing and confessed, telling them he had snapped when he saw her shock at finding him masturbating while pulling on a scarf tied tight around his neck.

bron: www.croatiantimes.com [16-11-2009]

American grandpa with children, abuses grandchildren

Authorities on Wednesday searched a rural property in western Missouri for bodies and buried glass jars containing notes written more than 15 years ago by children who may have documented sexual abuse by five members of their own family.

A 77-year-old American man from Missouri together with his 4 sons would allegedly have sexually abused 6 grand-children. Besides their own relatives, authorities won’t rule out the possibility of other victims among the abused or buried.

The abuse took place during the ’80s and ’90s.

bron: www.spitsnieuws.nl, www.youtube.com [11-11-2009]

American woman sits on boyfriend’s face to stop ex-wife call

An American woman faces domestic battery charges after reportedly trying to stop her boyfriend from calling his ex-wife by sitting on his face, along with allegedly slapping and scratching him.

According to Hernando County Sheriff reports, Janet Miller, 26, got angry with her live-in boyfriend for calling his ex-wife. Although she claims not to have assaulted him, she said she did “intentionally sit on his face to prevent him from using the phone.“

Upon arrival, deputies report her boyfriend had a slight redness on his cheek and scratches along his back, which he said came from Miller. However, he did not want to go into detail about it or allow the deputy to take photographs because he said he didn’t want to get Miller in trouble. He did say he and Miller got into an argument after he attempted to use the telephone to call his ex-wife.

Miller was taken into custody for domestic battery and transported to the Hernando County Jail under a no bond status.

bron: www2.nbc4i.com [11-11-2009]

Muslim woman attempted to slay husband who made her wear sexy skirts and eat pork

A soft-spoken Muslim woman tried to slit her Staten Island husband’s throat as he slept – enraged that he made her eat pork and wear sexy skirts, officials said.

“It’s time for you to die!” screamed Rabia Sarwar as she pounced on hubby Sheikh Naseem, sources said. He woke early Wednesday to find her straddling his chest and hacking at his neck with a knife.

The burly 41-year-old, a teacher at Susan Wagner High School, overpowered the pretty petite Sarwar, 37, and grabbed the weapon.

The two have only been together for five months. For Nasseem, it was his third try after his first two marriages failed. The Pakistani-born Naseem was not a practicing Muslim but sought a traditional wife; their pairing was arranged through family friends.

[Oates for News picture: Rabia Sarwar outside court on Thursday.]

“Being that he didn’t do very well the first two times, he thought he would try a woman of his own culture,” one of Naseem’s ex-wives told the Daily News on condition that she not be identified.

“She is very soft-spoken, very low-key,” the woman said. “I would not have dreamed anything like this would happen.”

But authorities said she was furious that Naseem stayed so Western: “She’s a very devout Muslim and she felt that he got her to marry him under false pretenses,” a source said. “He doesn’t really observe any of the traditions of Islam. She says he forced her to eat pork and wear short skirts.”

She also claimed that his favorite author is Salman Rushdie, reviled by devout Muslims after writing the prophet-bashing “The Satanic Verses.”

Sarwar was released on $25,000 bail after being arraigned yesterday on attempted murder rap charges. She claimed “months of emotional abuse and duress,” sources said. Cops had no record of domestic abuse complaints against Naseem.

Bron: www.nydailynews.com [30-10-2009]

‘Gang rapists threatened to chop up victim’

English police stormed a gangsters’ safe-house to rescue a woman from a gang of rapists who threatened to chop up and bury her, a court heard.

The men, said to be members of a Far Eastern crime syndicate, kept their victim prisoner for three days in a suburban home in Lewisham, England, it is claimed.

Four men took turns to rape her, before warning her that she would be “chopped into pieces” if her family in China did not pay a huge ransom, Southwark Crown Court heard on Wednesday. But it is alleged they were foiled when police smashed their way into the building following a joint operation by British and Chinese authorities.

Prosecutor Ken Millett told jurors that the men struck on the morning of March 24 last year.

The victim, a Chinese prostitute, was lured to the house in Talisman Square, Lewisham, by a man claiming to be a customer, the court heard. She was met at Peckham Rye station by a man in a yellow jacket and escorted to the address, where the door was opened by 25-year-old Bing Li, it was claimed.

Also present were alleged ringleader Ming Zhuang, 25, and Xin Da Yu, 39, the court heard.

It is claimed that after she arrived at the house more men arrived, including Ming Chen, 24, and a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons. Jurors were told the gang had carefully researched their victim’s background, and knew details about her parents’ addresses and finances. In all, the gang made between 50 and 60 calls to the family to demand money, it was alleged.

The woman was eventually found on March 26 after her parents called the Chinese police, who in turn contacted their British counterparts. Li, of Talisman Square, Lewisham, Yu, of no fixed address, and the 17-year-old, of Lewisham, each deny rape, sexual assault, false imprisonment and blackmail.

Chen and Zhuang, both of no fixed address, admit blackmail and false imprisonment.

The Crown say Zhuang was one of the men who forced himself on the victim, but he does not face a rape charge in the trial. The trial continues.

bron: www.southlondon-today.co.uk [5-10-2009]

[We of Wocview did some online CSI-work: There was another article regarding the same case but it didn't mention the victim being a prostitute: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/woman-gang-raped-in-kidnap-ordeal-1795473.html [29-09-2009]]

Nanjing Massacre Film Wins Top Prize in Spain

Chinese director Lu Chuan’s film “City of Life and Death”, a heart-wrenching reprise of the Nanjing Massacre during World War Two (simp南京大屠杀trad南京大屠殺), has won the top prize at Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival.

The jury, led by French director Laurent Cantet, on Saturday presented the Golden Shell award to Lu, and praised his focus on “the minute ethical dilemmas demanded by surviving in wartime.”

The black-and-white film also garnered the jury prize for best cinematography, for the efforts of Cao Yu.

The Nanjing Massacre, which occurred in late 1937 when invading Japanese troops occupied Nanjing (then Nanking) and slaughtered more than 300,000 lives, has been recounted many times in film, print and television. One famous version is Chinese-American author Iris Chang’s best-seller “The Rape of Nanking”.

“City of Life and Death” director Lu Chuan (simp陆川trad陸川) (left), accompanied by cast member Qin Lan, accepts the Golden Shell award at the San Sebastian Film Festival in San Sebastian, Spain on September 26, 2009. [Photo: Ander Gillenea/Getty Images/CFP]

Director Lu told the story for the first time from the perspective of a Japanese soldier. “The film alternates Japanese and Chinese points of view to brush a compelling portrait of day-to-day life in a devastated city,” according to the jury.

The annual San Sebastian Film Festival is one of the best-known film festivals in Europe. Other award winners this year included Lola Duenas, who was named best actress for the Spanish film “Yo Tambien”, and Pablo Pineda from the same film, who was awarded best actor.

The picture is from Chinese director Lu Chuan’s WWII epic “Nanking! Nanking!” (南京!南京!) (a.k.a. “City of Life and Death”), which will open in Chinese theaters on April 22. [Photo: ent.sina.com.cn]

bron: english.people.com.cn

Policeman arrested over rape of woman who called 999 for help

In England, a police officer has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman while he was on duty.

Scotland Yard said the policeman, who is in his 30s, had been bailed after being taken to a police station in South London after the alleged incident.

He has been suspended pending an investigation by the Directorate of Professional Standards.

A Met Police spokesman said: ‘A police constable was arrested on Saturday September 19 on suspicion of raping a woman whilst on duty.

‘He was taken to a South London police station and has been bailed to return in November pending further inquiries by officers from the Metropolitan Police’s directorate of professional standards.’

The alleged rape took place after the woman called 999 because of a drunken row with her boyfriend, it was reported.

She was left alone in her flat in Bromley, South-East London, with the officer after his colleagues arrested her boyfriend for allegedly assaulted her, according to The Sun.

He allegedly encouraged her to drink half a bottle of whisky before forcing her to perform a sex act.

She was said to be distraught after the experience and was taken to a rape counselling suite for examination.

The incident comes as the Independent Police complaints commission reports a 30 per cent rise in the number of complaints of sex assaults by police in the UK.

There were 114 complaints of sex attacks last year, 32 in the Met.

Senior IPCC sources say there is concern at the number of officers who are taking advantage of women in vulnerable positions.

They believe the figures show that more women are prepared to make complaints rather than reflecting an increase in the numbers.

One source said: ‘It shows there was always a problem but the extent is now only becoming clear.

‘The numbers are comparatively low but this is police officers abusing their position of trust with people who are vulnerable.’

The number of complaints against the police in London rose by 15 per cent last year.

Most of the claims related to officers being rude or late, the IPCC said. Complaints against Met officers went up by 795 to 6,144.

The increase in London exceeded a national eight per cent rise. Members of the public made 31,259 claims against forces in England and Wales in 2008/09.

One in every four was for ‘neglect of duty’ – officers being slow or ineffective.

Complaints against three other forces in the South -East also shot up. In Kent there was a 24 per cent rise, Surrey 25 per cent and in Essex a 34 per cent rise.

bron: www.dailymail.co.uk [24-9-2009]

Japanese man facing sex assault charges in New Zealand bailed

Japanese man facing sex assault charges in New Zealand bailed.

A Japanese man charged with sex assaults on five people on Auckland’s North Shore has been bailed to reappear in North Shore District Court on September 21.

The 21-year-old, who has name suppression, was arrested on August 18 in Browns Bay following a lengthy police investigation.

Police said they had spent the past five months investigating five sex assault incidents in which the victims described the offender as an Asian man.

bron: www.voxy.co.nz NZPA