A Dunedin man who violently raped a woman while on parole for similar offending has been jailed for 15 years.
Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Dwayne Douglas Keats appeared in the High Court at Dunedin this morning to be sentenced on six charges of rape and four of unlawful sexual connection.
The 47-year-old was convicted in 2010 for sexual violence and was released on parole in October 2016.
During a six-week period in February and March 2017, and despite being subject to electronic monitoring, he entered into a relationship with his victim without the knowledge of probation.
He subjected her to numerous sexual assaults that left her injured and emotionally scarred.
He was found guilty of the 10 sexual violence charges following a judge-alone trial.
Three counts of rape and one of unlawful sexual connection were representative charges, which meant they related to multiple occasions of the same offending.
In court this morning the woman told Keats he had wrecked her life.
"You prey on women who have a good heart," she said. "I'm here today to fight and protect against people like you.
"Today I stand here as a victim, but tomorrow I stand here as a survivor."
The woman told the court Keats had confided in her his earlier conviction, but he had dismissed his previous victim as a liar.
"I was a nice and caring person and he played on that."
Keats entered into a consensual relationship with the woman but he turned violent and forced her to commit sexual acts against her will, sometimes pressing hard on her windpipe as he carried out those acts.
"I don't like the world or trust anyone anymore - it terrifies me," the victim said.
"What has happened has changed the world around me."
Crown prosecutor Craig Power sought preventive detention for Keats, saying he was a serious risk of further violent sexual offending.
Several reports were prepared to assist the court with sentencing and they showed Keats as a manipulative psychopath.
"He continues to deny the offending," Power said.
"He appears to have no insight.
"It's almost as if we're staring into the black night sky and can't even see a star."
Concerningly, Keats' offending seemed to be escalating with age, he said.
Keats' lawyer John Westgate argued against preventive detention, saying he would spend a long time in prison regardless and it was impossible to assess his chances of rehabilitation now.
Justice Gerald Nation imposed an eight-year non-parole period and sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment.
The judge told Keats if he re-offended in the future he was very likely to face preventive detention.
As Keats was led from the courtroom he turned to the police officer in charge of the case and said: "See you at the appeal mate".
