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Four of the five Magog Motorcycle Club gang members charged with
a series of rape offences dating back to the 1970s have been
either acquitted or discharged.
Among them is former New Plymouth district councillor Russell
Gilmer, 48, who has been found not guilty of two counts of rape
and one of attempted sexual violation.
In the High Court at New Plymouth yesterday, Justice Paul Heath
lifted 18-month-old suppression orders that have prevented
publication of the names of the accused and any link to the
Magogs.
The rape charges, from the 1970s and 1980s, involved 11 women and
were originally laid in June 2001.
James William Mahuna Brand, 48, was the only convicted Magog and
is serving nine years in jail. He was found guilty of sexually
assaulting three women and acquitted in relation to four others.
He was found guilty in relation to the rape of another
complainant but that conviction was overturned by the Court of
Appeal and he was found not guilty at a retrial.
Anthony James Garcia, 43, was acquitted in relation to one woman.
He was discharged of rape and indecent assault after a jury was
unable to reach a verdict and the complainant said she would not
return for a new trial.
Shane Wiremu Growcott, 42, was found not guilty of charges in
relation to one complainant and Gilbert Donald Ross Wildbore, 52,
who has not been a member of the club since the 1980s, was
acquitted on two counts of rape.
Also last week, Brand, Garcia and Growcott were discharged in
connection with the gang rape and kidnapping of another woman.
They were originally convicted and jailed but that was overturned
by the Court of Appeal and the woman would not return for a new
trial.
Club president Steve Morman said the club's executive did not
want to comment other than to say the result spoke for itself.
The impact of the allegations on members was obvious.
Lawyer Paul Keegan, who represented two of the men, said the
trials had taken the better part of three years, had been
incredibly stressful "and the net result has been
spectacularly unsuccessful".
Detective Sergeant Greg Gray said police had investigated the
allegations and had put the charges before a jury.
"For some of the women the result was secondary to the fact
they had the opportunity to make these guys accountable."
- NZPA
