Dark path after rape
’Traumatised’ victim sees attacker jailed
JASON Haines set a 16-yearold boy on a “dark path” when he held the Brazilian student at gun point and raped him, in a toilet block in Mermaid Waters, 11 years ago.
Haines, 53, will now spend at least the next four years behind bars after he was sentenced to eight years’ prison.
His victim, now 28, however has been struggling since the December 13, 2007 rape which left him “traumatised”, “shaking” and “spitting”.
The boy was walking home after a party when Haines picked him up on the Gold Coast Hwy, taking him to two toilet blocks, threatened him with a gun and then raping him.
It took until yesterday for the young man to see justice when Haines was sentenced in the Southport District Court.
Judge Katherine McGinness said the boy was “vulnerable” due to his age, intoxication and that he was in a foreign country.
“The presence of a weapon – that was used to cause great fear,” she said.
Crown prosecutor Stephanie Gallagher tendered a victim impact statement of the boy.
She said the traumatising event had left him facing years of medical bills to help him cope with mental health issues.
“He was a happy and carefree teenager (before the rape) and after began self medicating with drugs and going towards a dark path,” Ms Gallagher said.
Haines’ barrister Jeff Hunter, instructed by Moloney MacCallum Abdelshahied Lawyers, went through a long list of medical conditions Haines suffers.
The obese man has diabetes, kidney problems, bipolar, gout, joint issues and needs a walker.
Mr Hunter said Haines lives with his parents and depended on them to get around as he cannot drive because of issues in his foot.
Haines has not been employed for about two decades due to mental health issues.