Posted on 10/24/2004 9:06:46 PM PDT by SmithL
SYDNEY, Australia -- Six men were convicted of a string of sex attacks on Pitcairn Island, the isolated Pacific territory that is home to descendants of the 18th century Bounty mutineers, after trials that exposed a culture of sex abuse in the tiny community, media on the island reported Monday.
Among those convicted was the island's mayor, Steve Christian, who claims to be a direct descendant of mutiny leader Fletcher Christian. He was cleared of four indecent assaults and one rape but was convicted of five other rapes, New Zealand's TVNZ television network, which has a reporter covering the trials, reported.
The verdicts were read out by judges specially sent to the island from New Zealand who sat in makeshift courts in the Pitcairn community hall for the trials, which started Sept. 30.
The men were tried for a string of 55 sex attacks dating back up to 40 years on women and girls on the island, which has a permanent population of 47.
Steve Christian's son, Randy Christian was convicted of four rapes and five indecent assaults but cleared of one rape and two indecent assault charges.
Another man, 78-year-old Len Brown, was convicted of two rapes. His son, Dave Brown was convicted of nine indecent assaults and cleared of four indecent assaults and two charges of gross indecency.
Dennis Christian was convicted of one indecent assault and two sexual assaults he pleaded guilty to at trial. Terry Young was convicted of one rape and six indecent assaults but cleared of one indecent assault.
Jay Warren, the island's magistrate, was found innocent of indecent assault.
Sentences are expected to be announced later this week.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
"Pitcairn Island, the smallest British protectorate in the world, is governed from the United Kingdom by an appointed Governor whose offices are in Wellington, New Zealand. A Commissioner for the island who handles most on-going, practical matters for Pitcairn is located in Auckland, New Zealand."
http://library.puc.edu/pitcairn/pitcairn/govt.shtml
There is a really sick society here. Considering its size, it's really more of a seriously dysfunctional extended family.
OTOH, on an island with a population of 47, there's not much to do other than rape teenage girls, so how can you blame them?
I feel sorry for the women on this island. It seems that most of them have been attacked at one time or another. Add to this the fact that they are all related, probably many times over, and this is a real problem.
The history of this island is fascinating, but I hate to hear about this. National Geographic has had a couple of great articles about the Pitcairn Islanders over the years, but never was there a hint of a problem like this.
I think we need to hold a summit on this.
The sins of the fathers passed on to the sons. The Bounty mutineers were motivated by their desire to shack up with the Tahitian girls more so than any "cruelty" committed by Bligh. In fact, by the standards of the day, Bligh was a pretty lenient captain.
Yeah, right. When you're bored, rape teenage girls. I think Lawrence Bittaker had that philosophy.
Considering the story of the Mutiny, this is so sad. Really, this is sad, truly sad and stupid.
That's always been my personal approach to dealing with boredom.
If they are that bored they could always move. It sounds like they had a good deal, at least in their own minds, so moving probably did not occur to them.
and so far we have all found this line unremarkable?
we're slipping
.
"If they are that bored they could always move."
Have you checked moving van rates to and from Pitcarin Island? :-)
Wonder if there's a genetic link to the Kennedys?
Lengthy article from the Times (London):
Paradise Lost for Pitcairn, the island where sex abusers imposed their brutal will
By Claire Harvey
Half of the men living in this tiny community now face prison after being found guity of crimes against children
THE verdicts in the Pitcairn sex trial were delayed because there was only one printer on the island and the court stenographer was having trouble producing enough copies of the judgment. The defendants were laughing and joking as they entered the court to hear their fate, one of them waving toilet paper in the air as he entered the makeshift courthouse.
But there was nothing funny about the guilty verdicts and the rapists and child molesters of Pitcairn Island had nothing to say on the way out.
Six of them had been found guilty of committing child sex crimes over the past 40 years, including incest, rape and the indecent assault of girls as young as 7.
The lush Pacific island where their ancestors, Fletcher Christian and his fellow mutineers, had sought refuge with their Tahitian girls 214 years ago, had been shown to the world as a repository of dark and evil secrets.
Half the island’s adult male population now faces imprisonment, calling into question the future of this tiny community of 47 people on the world’s most remote inhabited island — Britain’s last colonial possession in the Pacific.
If it comes to that — and there are further legal battles to be fought — arrangements would almost certainly have to be made to release the offenders for such tasks as manning the longboats that brave the rough seas around the island to ferry supplies ashore from passing ships. Bryan Nicholson, from the British High Commission in New Zealand, said: “They may be allowed to man the longboats and (perform other) essential duties.”
Those found guilty include all the island’s powerful men. Steve Christian, the mayor, described by prosecutors as “the leader of the pack”, was found guilty of five rapes of girls as young as 11.
His son, Randy, chairman of the internal works committee, was guilty of four rapes, including one gang rape of a 10-year-old, and five indecent assaults.
The mayor’s brother-in-law, Dave Brown, was found guilty of six indecent assaults on girls as young as 12.
Dave Brown’s father, Len, 78, was found guilty of twice raping a girl aged 15. Terry Young, 46, was found guilty of one rape and six indecent assaults against girls as young as 7. Dennis Christian admitted three sexual assaults before the trial began.
The three New Zealand judges found 32 charges proved and 17 not proven beyond reasonable doubt, but said they believed that all seven former Pitcairn women who gave video-link evidence were honest in their claims of abuse. Another six charges were withdrawn or dismissed because complainants changed their minds and refused to testify.
“I am extremely pleased,” Robert Vinson, of Kent Constabulary, the chief investigating officer, said. “These judgments today have sent a clear message that the abuse of children is not acceptable in any culture anywhere, and Pitcairn Island is no exception.”
Other charges against the six men were dismissed, as was the sole charge against a seventh islander, Jay Warren. But six more islanders, all now living overseas, are awaiting trial on similar charges.
rest of story: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1329199,00.html
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