Academic’s ‘dramatic fall from grace’
He was a mentor, an award winner, a well-respected university professor and a consumer advocate throughout his nearly 30 years in journalism and academia.
Then one 10-minute act of ‘‘sick pleasure’’ in a rest home ruined his career and the life of his elderly victim.
Former associate professor of journalism at Massey University Grant David Hannis, 55, was yesterday sentenced to eight months of home detention for indecently assaulting an 82-year-old stroke victim in a rest home.
Wellington District Court judge Stephen Harrop described the assault as ‘‘unbelievable’’ and a dramatic fall from grace for Hannis.
The victim’s daughter said his ‘‘few moments of sick pleasure’’ had robbed her mother of her health, her dignity and her independence.
‘‘There are questions, lots of questions. So much going through our minds, like why? What the hell were you thinking? She was 82 years old. Is that OK with you? How could you even contemplate what you did?’’ she said in a statement read in court.
He ignored her resistance
Hannis had been visiting someone at the rest home in 2018 when he sat down and spoke to the victim in the main living room.
She had lived there since suffering a stroke some years ago, and was physically weak.
They spoke for several minutes and when she left, Hannis followed her to her room and shut the door.
In the room he began kissing and touching her.
The elderly woman tried to push him away but was not strong enough and Hannis was too forceful.
He then closed the curtains so no-one could see into the room.
He continued to touch her until a caregiver came in, realised the room was in darkness and asked what was going on.
When no-one answered her, she went to get her manager.
Hannis began touching the victim again after this and she continued to try to get away.
He put his hand into her underwear before pulling down his own pants and exposing himself.
Shortly after he left, the caregiver returned and found the victim coming out of the bathroom wearing different trousers.
Her wet underwear and trousers were found in a rubbish bin.
Hannis told police it was consensual.
A dramatic fall
Hannis worked for many years as a journalist for Consumer Magazine, starting out as a senior finance writer in 1990 before becoming a public affairs writer.
According to his online resume, he co-wrote several books published by Consumer New Zealand, during which time he completed a master’s in English, specialising in journalism.
He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 2009 and taught business journalism in the United States at San Francisco State University.
He was appointed head of journalism at Massey University in 2003 and was promoted to associate professor in 2014.
During his time at the university, he taught generations of journalism students their craft, lecturing them on law and ethics among other subjects. He is also the editor of textbooks used to teach journalists in New Zealand.
Hannis co-won the top teaching award at the US professional association of journalism educators in 2013, while Massey’s journalism programme – under his tutelage – received a special award for outstanding achievement in 2016.
‘I held her while she sobbed’
Through a victim impact statement read to the court yesterday, the victim’s daughter said her mother had deteriorated since the attack and now had to use a wheelchair.
‘‘The day I saw her after the incident occurred, I found our beautiful mother in a room unfamiliar to her. She looked completely lost . . .
‘‘I held her while she sobbed time
and time again,’’ the daughter said.
Her mother had lived at the rest home since suffering a stroke and was physically weak.
‘‘For you, this may have been a few moments of sick pleasure, but for our mother, her life has changed immeasurably and [this] has had a profound effect on her,’’ she said.
‘‘You stole her rights – a defenceless elderly woman who didn’t deserve any of what you put her through.’’
‘I was mentally unwell’
Hannis said he deeply regretted what he had done and would continue to regret it for the rest of his life.
He apologised to his victim’s family.
‘‘I am so, so sorry for the pain and hurt I caused you. You were entitled to assume your mum would be left in peace at the rest home. I undermined that.’’
Hannis said he was mentally unwell when he offended, under pressure with work and his own family issues.
‘‘The counselling I am receiving has helped me understand why I behaved as I did, and to ensure I do not behave that way again.
‘‘My counsellor is confident I will never reoffend. I will continue with my counselling to aid my recovery,’’ he said.
‘‘I never wish to cause such pain and distress to anyone ever again. I give everyone my absolute assurance: I will never reoffend.’’
‘Difficult to understand and rationalise’
Judge Harrop said it was a dramatic fall from grace for Hannis, who had previously displayed good character and had enjoyed a substantial career.
The judge described the offending as ‘‘unbelievable’’.
‘‘It is difficult to understand and rationalise, and it is really completely out of character.’’
The assault was a significant invasion of the victim’s personal space as well as her private space as a person, the judge said.
‘‘There was a degree of brazenness and persistence to carry on after the caregiver came into the room.’’
Hannis was sentenced to eight months’ home detention and 100 hours’ community work.
He was also ordered to pay emotional harm reparation of $3000 to his victim.
He had initially been charged with unlawful sexual connection but that charge was downgraded to indecent assault at a court hearing late last year.
His lawyer, Peter Foster, said it took just 10 minutes for all of the harm to be done, and Hannis was truly regretful.
Hannis fought to keep his name from being made public.
He asked for name suppression from his first appearance and asked the judge yesterday to make it permanent. Judge Harrop refused this request and also allowed photographs to be taken of Hannis in court.
Employer in the dark
A Massey University spokesman said Hannis had told no-one at Massey that he was being prosecuted when he requested early retirement in October last year.
By the time university staff became aware, Hannis was no longer teaching.
Staff then ensured that any potential contact with students remaining through social media or the university’s online teaching platform was severed.
‘‘The only complaint we are aware of occurred in October, subsequent to this offending, and involved students complaining about rudeness in the classroom. It was dealt with by his manager and Dr Hannis apologised to the students.’’
The prosecution had come as a great shock to colleagues and ‘‘no doubt to many students, past and present’’, the spokesman said.