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THE Crown will appeal immediately against the eight-year sentence handed to Tasmania's worst serial rapist yesterday. Former nightclub boss Shane Ronald Farmer, 49, had admitted raping or sexually abusing seven women and girls aged between 16 and 21 at his nightclubs in Launceston and Hobart. The crimes were committed over a decade and his victims were either staff or patrons at his nightclubs. In the Supreme Court in Hobart yesterday, Justice Peter Underwood sentenced Farmer to eight years' jail with a five-year non-parole period. This would allow Farmer to apply to be freed on parole in October 2009. Director of Public Prosecutions Tim Ellis was in court for the sentencing and immediately announced he would appeal. Speaking on the steps of the Supreme Court, he said he would launch an appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal on the grounds that the sentence was "manifestly inadequate". Mr Ellis later said he had no plans to seek to have Farmer declared a dangerous criminal, which would result in him being jailed indefinitely. This was a sanction usually reserved for criminals who continued to offend despite a number of periods of imprisonment. Farmer is serving a 15-month jail term after being convicted of aiding and abetting one of his employees, Craig Randall, to rape another woman in a nightclub. Randall's father, Peter, told Southern Cross News last night the sentence was inequitable as his son had received five years' jail for one count of rape. "Six rapes should mean 30 years," he said. Farmer showed little emotion during the 15-minute appearance and did not look at his partner, who was in court. His partner, who has a two-year-old daughter with Farmer, would not comment as she left the court. Justice Underwood told Farmer he could see nothing mitigatory in the circumstances surrounding his crimes. "Your criminal conduct was predatory, persistent and committed with an arrogant and contemptuous disregard for the welfare and dignity of your victims," Justice Underwood said. "At the time you raped the 16-year-old in 1990, you were about 20 years older than her. "You are 27 years older than your last victim. "You were the person with ultimate control over the management of these nightclubs and thereby in a responsible position. "The young and vulnerable patrons were entitled to expect you to exercise proper control over the premises. "To use them yourself at a place where you could drug and sexually attack young females was an abrogation of your responsibility." Farmer had pleaded guilty to attempting to administer a drug with intent to facilitate the commission of the crime of rape, three counts of administering a drug with intent to facilitate the commission of the crime of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of aggravated assault, two counts of abduction and six counts of rape. Legal sources say Farmer has the most number of victims of any sexual predator in Tasmanian legal history. They also believe his legal expenses, which included representation by prominent Melbourne QC Phillip Dunn, had exceeded $1 million. Justice Underwood said Farmer had no criminal history until his conviction for aiding and abetting rape. However, he said any claims Farmer had of previous good character must be considered in light of the fact that from 1990 to 2001 he was engaged in criminal conduct. He said the victim-impact statements from his victims had contained common themes of shame and humiliation. "To varying degrees, your criminal conduct had a devastating effect on each of them," he said. The Mercury (2-10-2004) Ellen Whinnet |
Australian News
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