Paedophile ‘defied’ court, more abuse
Dentist still treated other child patients
AS OUTRAGE poured in from child rights activists over the three-year imprisonment sentence handed to convicted paedophile and repeat offender Ian Venter, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it was pursuing him again for having treated other children at his surgery, despite a court order.
The 47-year-old George dentist and father of three was sentenced in the George Circuit High Court to three years behind bars for sexually assaulting a then-12-year-old boy, a friend of his son, in 2015 during a sleepover at his Herolds Bay home.
Venter had been accused of going into the guest room where the 12-yearold boy was sleeping, and touching his private parts.
The incident happened just five months after Venter was convicted on several other charges including performing sexual acts on a minor and two charges relating to showing pornographic material to a 15-year- old.
During his testimony at the time, the 15-year-old said Venter had given him alcohol and showed him pornographic material before performing sexual acts on him.
Venter had been sentenced to four years’ house arrest, and one of the conditions of his sentence was that he was not allowed to work with children.
But Venter had allegedly breached the condition, and continued treating children at his dental practice while serving his sentence.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said that case was expected in court soon.
“The accused was previously convicted in another matter.
“One of the suspended conditions was that he was not allowed to treat children in his practice.
“He breached that condition. We are in the process of pursuing prosecution on that, and we will take the matter to court soon,” Ntabazalila said.
Non-profit child protection organisation Women & Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) had been providing support to the families throughout the court processes, and had also previously been vocal about continued delays in the trial.
Venter had been convicted in April last year. Requests by the court for further investigations and information led to him being sentenced only last week, according to WMACA.
The organisation’s spokesperson Joanne Barrett said John Gillespie, Venter’s lawyer, had brought an application to appeal against the sentencing, which was dismissed.
“We as an organisation, who advocate for children’s rights, really feel child sexual abuse cases should warrant much harsher sentences. According to the Children’s Act, it clearly states that children have a right to safety and should be free from violence and abuse.
“We at WMACA are not happy, in fact are appalled at the low sentence of just three years handed to Venter, especially as this is his second offence.
“His first sentence in November 2014 of house arrest was for a term of four years for raping a minor, a 15-year-old boy,” Barrett said.
Child protection organisation Molo Songololo director Patric Solomons echoed Barrett’s sentiments and said they were concerned at the message the court had sent with the “lenient sentence”. He said sexual assaults against children were under-reported, and this case did not help the cause.