Call for inquiry into rape case

National is calling on Justice Minister Kiri Allan to launch an inquiry into the Crown's handling of the Jayden Meyer rape case and its implications. It was revealed last month the Tauranga teenager was sentenced to nine months' home detention for the rape of four 15-year-old girls and the sexual violation of another. He was 16 at the time of the offending. The sentence drew the ire of the public, sparking numerous public protests. Then, last week, Deputy Solicitor General Madeleine Laracy sought leave to appeal the sentence of home detention in favour of prison time, six weeks outside the statutory window for appeal. High Court Justice Sally Fitzgerald, who considered the application, released her decision on Wednesday, declining the bid for an appeal. She said with Meyer now attending a sexual violence rehabilitation programme, the logistics of managing this within prison would be difficult.