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Anger as rapists of minor escape jail term

Sydney: A judge in Australia faced calls to step down after she failed to jail nine males who admitted gang-raping a 10-year-old girl in an Aboriginal community in 2005, saying the victim “probably agreed” to have sex with them.

Sarah Bradley, a Cairns-based district court judge, gave suspended sentences and probation orders to three adults, aged 17 to 26, one of whom was a repeat sex offender, and six juveniles, aged 14 to 16.

The lenient sentencing was greeted with outrage and disbelief across Australia, which has been wrestling with the problem of child sex abuse in indigenous communities.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was “appalled and disgusted” by the details of the case. Queensland’s Attorney-General Kerry Shine will appeal against the judge’s decision. Indigenous leaders said it sent a terrible message to vulnerable girls and women living in fear in Australia’s indigenous communities.

“If this was a white girl in white suburban Brisbane ... there’s no way they would have walked out of court,” said a child protection campaigner, Hetty Johnston.

The assault happened in Aurukun on Cape York, which has a history of rioting and drunken violence.

Some of the girl’s attackers are said to be from prominent families in the area, while she comes from a less privileged background.

Justice Bradley’s handling of the case was revealed by the Australian newspaper.

In passing sentence, she said she accepted the girl involved “was not forced and ... probably agreed to have sex with all of you but you were taking advantage of a 10-year-old girl and she needs to be protected.” — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2007

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