Copyright 1996-2002, Council of Licensed Firearms Owners.

Council of Licensed Firearms Owners
Date: 2 May 2001

"It appears that Judge Dalmer is more interested in apportioning blame to the victim than acknowledging that the offender is the person responsible for crime," said Mr John Howat, Chairman of the New Zealand Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (COLFO) today.

Mr Howat was referring to comments attributed to Judge Dalmer while sentencing Christian Harry Brusey for the theft of more than 120 firearms. The judge is reported as saying, "It was frightening that it needed only a few wires to be cut and a simple jemmy to break through the defences".

"Brusey has more than 90 previous convictions for burglary, drugs and firearms-related offences, and given the conviction rate for those categories of offending it’s likely that his actual offences are well over the 1,000 mark," said Mr Howat.

"This man is an very experienced criminal whose lifestyle is maintained at the expense of innocent New Zealanders. Would Judge Dalmar have criticised the victims if the perpetrator had arrived with a simple carving knife and knocked on their door?"

"Brusey was armed with the necessary tools and equipment when he executed a well planned raid on a firearms collector's house. During the raid he bypassed a monitored alarm system, gained access to a commercial safe and did several thousand dollars worth of damage to the building. He demonstrated a disdain for the Court by committing at least one more offence while on bail for the firearms robbery."

"Suggesting that Brusy’s victims contributed to his criminal actions is akin to blaming victims of the Parnell Panther for his crimes, it is no wonder that New Zealanders believe our justice system is in need of a thorough overhaul and an attitude resection."

ENDS.

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