Western Leader

Halaholo convicted

- STAFF REPORTERS

A Southland Stags rugby player has had his contract torn up after he admitted three charges of masturbati­ng in a public place, twice in front of young girls.

Dillan Halaholo, 23, was convicted in the Invercargi­ll District Court and sentenced to 18 months intensive supervisio­n.

A police summary of facts says the first offending was on May 5 in the Countdown car park in Invercargi­ll, when the former west Auckland man parked his car beside another vehicle, containing 9- and 6-year-old girls, and began masturbati­ng. The second offence was on June 3 when he drove to the same supermarke­t car park and parked beside a vehicle containing two 10-year-old girls before masturbati­ng. On June 10 he offended for a third time at the same location, this time after parking beside a car with a 23-year-old woman inside.

Judge Cook, who suppressed all details of Halaholo’s domestic situation, said all the victims had been affected by Halaholo’s actions.

The adult victim said his actions had made her feel powerless, traumatise­d, weak, victimised, dirty and vulnerable, the judge said.

‘‘She described the moment of seeing you as being horrific.’’

The parents of the child victims said Halaholo’s actions had taken away their innocence. One of the children was now reserved and quiet and confused about why she had to see it.

Halaholo had no previous conviction­s, the judge said.

When sentencing him to intensive supervisio­n she said he must undertake appropriat­e assessment­s, treatment and counsellin­g as directed. She also imposed a requiremen­t of judicial monitoring and ordered a report be provided to her within three months.

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 ??  ?? Former Southland Stags rugby player Dillan Halaholo was sentenced in the Invercargi­ll District Court to intensive supervisio­n.
Former Southland Stags rugby player Dillan Halaholo was sentenced in the Invercargi­ll District Court to intensive supervisio­n.

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