Warning: This story discusses rape and sexual assault and may be distressing for some readers.
Prolific sexual predators Danny and Roberto Jaz have been sentenced to 16.5 years and 17 years imprisonment, respectively, in Christchurch's District Court this afternoon.
The brothers were earlier this year convicted on a total of 69 sex crimes, including rape and drugging charges over three years.
They worked at their father Michael Jaz's bar Mama Hooch and restaurant Venuti. They used these venues to target young female customers and staff, spiking their drinks and then often sexually assaulting or raping them.
Another two men, whose names are suppressed, walked free.
There were 23 victims in total, some of whom stood up in court to tell the men face-to-face exactly how their sinister offending impacted their young lives.
The rapists stared blankly, emotionless, as the women told them the deep trauma they have caused them. Not a tear fell down the Jaz brothers' faces as they were told over and over again how women were forced to move away from their homes and suffered depression, suicidal thoughts and panic attacks as a result of their callous attacks.
Victims' courage made our community a safer place - police
The police said today's sentence has brought the end to five years of complex and detailed investigation work, and a drawn-out prosecution process.
"I would like to acknowledge and honour all of the victims who bravely came to Police to share what had happened to them," Detective Inspector Scott Anderson told media after the sentencing.
"Their journey through the process has not been easy, however because of their courage they have made our community a safer place."
Anderson said these victims have helped put others on notice that this type of offending is serious and will be investigated and prosecuted.
"I would also like to acknowledge our team of investigators, prosecutors and support workers and agencies who put so much time and dedication into this case to support and allow the victims to have a voice," Anderson said.
"We will ensure the victims have access to any support they need as they move forward."
Police continue to encourage anyone who may have been a victim of sexual assault to make a report.
"We will take all such reports seriously, offer victims the required support, and work to hold offenders to account."
Jaz brothers sentenced
The case was unprecedented in New Zealand. Never before has this country seen similar offending on such a large scale, over a lengthy time period.
Judge Paul Mabey KC has set the precedent. Both Danny and Roberto were given a starting point of 18 years imprisonment.
"Anything less than 18 years would not do justice," Judge Mabey said.
The Crown sought a starting point of 18 to 20 years imprisonment for both rapists, the defence sought 16 to 17 years.
Danny's sentence was reduced by just over five percent (12 months) due to pleading guilty to his sole sexual offending charges.
"The fact is you did plead guilty to 21 charges. Sentencing principle tells me to recognise that," Justice Mabey said.
Roberto was given a six-month discount for pleading guilty to one charge.
Judge Mabey said he must recognise prior good character when sentencing the brothers, taking six months off both sentences.
He said the court recognises credit for prior good character can be eliminated due to the nature of the offending but he does not believe their case has reached that level.
A minimum non-parole period of 50 percent was imposed.
Judge Mabey publically denounced the brother's offending.
"You helped yourself to young women with callous disregard to their rights, their dignity, their youth and their right to grow up unencumbered by the irreversible damage of sexual abuse."
After the brothers were sentenced a member of the public yelled "deport them". The public gallery then erupted in cheers as the rapists were taken away to prison.
The judge then turned to the victims.
"I was impressed with the way you gave your evidence and with the bravery. I was impressed with your bravery today," he said.
'You are sexual predators'
There was applause in the public gallery as Judge Paul Mabey KC told Danny and Roberto Jaz they were not men of good character, instead, he told them they are sexual predators.
He said the pair demonstrated a callous and predatory disregard for the young women they offended against.
Danny was convicted of 41 charges against 19 victims, while his younger brother Roberto was convicted of 28 charges against eight victims. Four of these victims both brothers offended against.
"You severely damaged all of your victims by your predatory and heartless offending driven by arrogance, misguided self-belief and complete lack of respect for those you offended against," Judge Mabey said.
"A constant theme was their darkness, their shame, their embarrassment and an overwhelming self-blame. They had a fear of not being believed by others and some of them weren't.
"They will never move on to be the people they were before the offending. Before your offending."
Judge Mabey said the brothers have not expressed any remorse.
"Perhaps what you have observed today may have hit home in some way and I hope, for your sakes, it has," Judge Mabey said.
Turning to Roberto, Judge Mabey said he showed no respect to his victims and his denial of his offending was misguided.
"You lie, you minimise, you demonstrated an arrogant belief you can talk your way out of anything," Judge Mabey said.
He said those who provided character references for the brothers described them as kind-hearted, decent and respectful people.
"But you are not men of good character, you are sexual predators," Judge Mabey said.
There was applause in the public gallery as a response, and one supporter yelled "Absolutely".
Crown says brothers have no remorse
Andrew McRae, the Crown prosecutor, has requested a starting point of 18 to 20 years for both brothers.
He said there is no remorse from the rapists who acted with arrogance and entitlement.
"The Crown says this is sustained predatory behaviour where the offenders used their business premises as a way to target the vulnerable," McRae told the judge.
He noted the rapists would also message a group chat to brag about their exploits and encourage the offending.
"It was only through their [the women's] courage that those matters were brought to light," McRae said.
He said this type of offending hasn't occurred before, therefore, there are no other cases to assist the court.
Focusing on Roberto's offending first, the Crown has submitted a sentence of 18 to 20 years imprisonment. McRae said there are no mitigating factors available to Roberto to discount his sentence.
"There is nothing over and above, nothing in the community that would warrant discreet recognition of good character in the Crown's submission," he said.
Turning to Danny's sentence next, the Crown has also asked for a sentence of 18 to 20 years.
McRae too said there were no mitigating factors available to Danny. He said the fact Danny pleaded guilty to all sexual offending where he was the sole offender should, if at all, be considered on a low level.
Danny still pleaded not guilty to the disabling charges, not sparing the victims from attending court and giving evidence.
But the judge did not agree.
"If there is one point of distinction between the two it is Danny Jaz's guilty pleas and I will not let that go unnoticed," Judge Paul Mabey KC said.
Defence says Jaz brothers had 'good character' before offending
The defence lawyers have asked for a starting point of 16 to 17 years imprisonment.
They argued the brothers' prior good character should be taken into account. Danny's lawyer Donald Matthews also noted he has two young children which should be taken into consideration when he is sentenced, to which the judge disagreed.
Roberto's lawyer Matt Smit said the Jaz brothers had no previous criminal history and good character references were submitted by those who knew the pair.
"These two are not a good character," Judge Mabey said.
Matthews argued Danny's sentence should be decreased due to his guilty pleas for 21 charges of sexual offending.
Smit said his defendant had fewer offences than Danny and therefore should serve a lesser sentence.
All lawyers have accepted Danny and Roberto has no remorse. The judge even noted Roberto had told a probation officer he didn't think he did anything wrong.
'What this man did to me was vile'
The two women whose complaints led to the police investigation of the brothers have told them they gave each other the strength to bring the rapists down.
"I am still learning to understand this is my story, my experience," one woman told the court.
The woman met the brothers when she was 15 years old, hired at Mama Hooch to work part-time while she attended high school. Not long after she turned 18 she was raped and sexually assaulted by Roberto.
"I was supposed to feel safe around you but your intentions were distorted," she told Roberto.
"You know what you did."
The woman was out celebrating her friend's 18th birthday when the offending took place.
"Learning to cope with what you did took so much away from me. I was blaming myself a lot for not only what you did to me but for [my friend] too… You did this to her too."
Her friend also told the brothers about the impact of their horrific offending.
"What this man did to me was vile… That night you took my innocence when you decided to violate my innocent body."
She said Roberto got his twisted vile pleasures out of her and then left her lying on the floor.
"Who will you become now apart from a serial sex offender… All that stain against you, that's justice for us all."
She said the brother's downfall was letting her come down to Venuti that day.
"We were able to give each other strength to bring you down."
'I will never forgive you'
Sophie Brown, who has bravely waved her name suppression, started her victim impact statement by thanking the judge for allowing her to speak on Thursday.
When she was 19 years old she woke up on a Sunday night wondering if she was still drunk or would have a pounding headache, but what came was so much worse.
She saw men's jeans in her room and was covered in vomit.
"I knew something was wrong, something horrible had happened to me last night. That something horrible was you deciding I was your next victim," Brown told the court.
Some of the darkest days of her life followed. Brown said she felt sad, ashamed and anxious.
"Whenever I was alone the memory of that night came back," Brown said. "You stole my fierce independence from me… I will never forgive you."
She told the judge to remember the 19-year-old girl who was scared, alone and ashamed when considering the Jaz brother's sentencing.
'Your disregard towards women is disgusting'
A woman who was 21-years-old when she was attacked by Danny in 2018 said she was scared knowing Danny didn't have any bail conditions and could roam Christchurch freely.
She ran into him once at a bar and he tried to buy her a drink, bringing back overwhelming feelings of anxiety.
The woman said she suffers from anxiety, depression and flashbacks of the offending. She had to move away since the offending.
"Danny I feel utterly sad for you… Your disregard towards women is disgusting."
'It was never my fault'
The first woman to read her victim impact statement was 24 years old when she was indecently assaulted and drugged by Danny Jaz.
She said she felt confused and drowsy the day after the offending took place, only putting together the pieces after she saw a media article about offending at Mama Hooch.
"I was so confused how it went so wrong that night."
She said her last straw was when she bumped into Danny who asked her why she hadn't come back to Mama Hooch.
The woman then moved to Australia, never returning to Christchurch until the trial out of fear she would see her attacker again.
She said she would have loved to see her family and friends but Danny walking freely for years took that chance away from her.
Each time the trial would be delayed the emotions of that night flood back, she said.
"I always felt like it was in your favour, Danny."
The woman said her motivation in bringing Danny to justice was to ensure no woman would ever be in danger in the hands of the Jaz brothers.
"There will always be monsters out there… It was never my fault."
Victims suffer from PTSD
Multiple women have told the court they have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder since the offending.
Feelings of anxiety, isolation, fear and trauma would consume the women since they were drugged and attacked by Danny and Roberto.
"I felt trapped, immobile and utterly terrified for my life," one woman said.
Another woman who was raped and filmed by Roberto said she had considered taking her own life since the offending.
She was 21 at the time and said her own body didn’t feel like hers anymore. She would avoid showering so she didn't have to look at herself.
"You harmed me physically, emotionally, psychologically and emotionally. You robbed me of my self-love and right to love others," the woman told Roberto.
Like many other victims, she moved away from Christchurch to escape the brothers.
"Not once you have taken accountability for what you have done."
She said she has retaught herself to love and now works in a field where she helps people work through trauma.
"Despite my scars, I am so loved and supported… I feel this dark cloud clearing."
Full court as rapists await sentencing
Friends of the Jaz brothers were also in attendance at the Christchurch District Court on Thursday.
Their third brother, Davide Jaz, was also in court. It is the first time a family member of Danny and Roberto has ever been in court.
A spillover court has also been made available because the public gallery is full. There are also victims watching the sentencing via an audio-visual link.
Danny appeared to have a black eye as he entered the courtroom to be sentenced for the horrific crimes he had committed.
The two brothers wore a suit and lacked emotion as they entered the courtroom.
They will soon listen to the impact their cruel offending had on the young women before Judge Paul Mabey KC decides the length of the pair's imprisonment.
Where to find help and support:
- Shine (domestic violence) - 0508 744 633
- Women's Refuge - 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE)
- Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
- What's Up - 0800 WHATS UP (0800 942 8787)
- Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
- Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
- Samaritans - 0800 726 666
- Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
- Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
- Shakti Community Council - 0800 742 584
If you have witnessed or experienced sexual harassment or assault and would like to speak to someone, you could call the HELP support service.
Auckland: (09) 623 1700 or visit helpauckland.org.nz
Wellington: (04) 801 6655 or visit wellingtonhelp.org.nz
