Shows
Watch the latest from Newshub
ThreeNow
Watch the latest current affairs shows
Palmerston North
AKL
18° 10°
Opinion

Opinion: The women who came forward in the Mama Hooch trial should feel proud they brought Roberto and Danny Jaz to justice

Warning this opinion piece contains details about rape and sexual assault which some people may find disturbing. 

OPINION: The Mama Hooch trial took place in courtroom 19, tucked in the corner on the third floor of the Justice Precinct in central Christchurch. 

It's a reasonable sized courtroom, with a jury box that sat empty, because this was a judge-alone trial. 

There were a small handful of journalists who sat through most, if not all, of the two-month trial - including me. 

Aside from the defendants, the lawyers, the judge and the police staff involved in the case, the court was otherwise nearly always empty. 

Much of the trial was closed to the public because of the sensitive evidence from the complainants. But even when it wasn't closed for other witnesses, barely anyone else ever came. 

Not a single person sat in the public gallery in support of the three men on trial.

It became apparent on day one, back on February 7, that this was an unusual and despairingly sinister case. 

  • If you have more information, contact Juliet Speedy in confidence on juliet.speedy@wbd.com

The crown prosecutor Andrew McRae's opening argument took nearly two days to deliver. McRae outlined the crimes including the number of complainants, the type of offences, the bigger picture of the men and their actions, and attitudes backed up by some of the depraved WhatsApp messaging that we were going to hear later in the trial. 

I've covered a lot of truly horrific court cases and stories in my career that have showcased the very worst of humanity, but this case had a uniquely sinister element to it. 

The crown argued this group of men treated women as commodities. This widespread, wide-ranging abuse over so many years was nearly impossible to digest. 

And it wasn't just the two now convicted rapists Roberto and Danny Jaz. Most of the evidence in the trial showed there were several other men who had this disturbing attitude.

Not only the two convicted brothers but the other men who featured in the horrendous chat groups, including the two who walked free from court, and also others that have never been charged. 

This was a circle of relatives and friends talking about women as nothing but objects to be used and abused as they saw fit. 

Depraved descriptions of what they would like to do, or worse had done, to women.  Most of the time it was specific women. 

"Women are just holes to put it in boys, nothing more". "I just roofied (XX's) drink." "Did you buy her a roofie colada." "I just smashed her in the restaurant." 

Smashed is referring to sex and a common phrase we would hear. "Tits is what sells me on a woman." These are a handful of thousands of messages we heard. These are nowhere near the worst.

I was sitting less than two metres from the defendants in court and I quite literally buttoned up my top shirt button on day one of the trial. 

It was a subconscious physical reaction to the words I was hearing. What also quickly became clear was these weren't lonely old men using criminal means to find self-gratification. 

They were men in long-term relationships - family men, successful hospitality operators, of fair looks and tremendously popular. This was all a game to them and this made it far more sinister to me.

What also was dumbfounding was the behaviour and attitude of the defendants in court. They appeared astonishingly arrogant throughout the entire trial.  

All three men were constantly joking and chatting among themselves, with the prison guards (who flanked them) and with their lawyers in the break. 

We had weeks of testimony from the complainants but I never saw one tiny flash of remorse or even embarrassment on their faces. 

The only time they looked slightly sheepish was when the lawyers, judge and journalists viewed evidence in the form of a 14-minute rape video that Roberto Jaz filmed on his phone while participating in it. 

The brave survivor in that video entered the courtroom immediately after, knowing we had all just watched the video she featured in, to give her evidence. It was ghastly. 

On the stand it quickly became evident she was so high on drugs that they'd given her, she could barely remember what happened to her on that life-changing night. The men whispered to each other and passed notes to their lawyers during her evidence.

From my seat on the side of the courtroom , I would often stare at the men for long periods of time trying to gauge their reactions, searching for a hint of remorse - or even an acknowledgement of the seriousness of the charges. 

But all I ever saw was utter defiance. The women were behind screens giving their evidence so thankfully couldn't see the defendants but the men could watch them on a little screen on their desk. 

They would constantly and repeatedly whisper to each other when the women were on the stand, or write notes and get the prison guards to pass them to their lawyers before those same lawyers cross examined the women. For me, the cross examination was the hardest of all to take. I understand everyone deserves a fair trial and the right to good legal representation. But because the Jaz brothers chose to defend their charges, the women were often and repeatedly called liars. 

"I suggest to you, you'd had more to drink than you say you had" was a line we heard time and time again. 

"I suggest you were flirting with him and any sexual activity was consensual '' was another frequent question. 

"You were upset about a break up so you were highly emotional that night," we once heard about a woman who was drugged. Roberto Jaz's lawyer's words to one complainant: 

"And you had a flimsy gold top on that night?" It was an outrageous thing to ask, in my opinion. 

What struck me was if there were one or two complainants, the defence of this was consensual, you're a liar might wash but when you have dozens of women all with a similar story, it's the brothers' defence that is flimsy. The anguish they could have saved with earlier guilty pleas. 

The whole trial was awful - for none more so than the complainants. I was relieved they got justice at the end of a very long road - a five-year wait for trial, for some. 

Some of the women did end up with not-guilty verdicts against their complaints but they should feel proud that their collective stories all gave the crown case more power and helped bring the men to justice. 

And they should also feel proud that bringing these men to justice will help other victims of abuse come forward. It has and will continue to encourage conversations with teenagers and young women across the country. 

I have had many, many emails from strangers - parents - with messages like this:

"Played it to my 17-year-old daughter, and we both didn't know whether to be angry or weep. 

I suggested she send the link to every one of her schoolmates. We both remarked on the comment that so many young women had been cared for by their friends, despite their drinks being spiked. So thanks for including that comment in the final edit. "

And another:

"It prompted a good conversation in our household and I'm glad that my teenager saw it as I think it hits home to her more than just us parents warning her about predators."

Some horrible things happen in society and end up in the courts - but as well as inflicting trauma, it can also bring about societal change for the better. 

I hope this horrific and shocking offending will create many conversations and also help victims of sexual abuse to come forward. 

A brave survivor of the Jaz offending told me she wants people to know, it is never too late to come forward, not only in this case, but also in any case. These are her words :

"Disturbing people like this will use their power to take advantage and commit heinous crimes regardless of whether you watch your drink and stay with your friends. This remains incredibly important but realistically can be more easily said than done. It doesn't matter how much you have had to drink, what you decide to wear, where you are, who you were with or if you cannot remember. Tell somebody you can trust. You shouldn't have done anything differently, none of it is your fault and you are not alone. Twisted people like this can, should and will be brought to justice."

To all the women in this case, I am in awe of your strength and bravery.

Where to find help and support: