Judge says Colin Mitchell had clear and disturbing pattern of serious sexual offending as predator is jailed indefinitely over brutal attacks on two women

Rapist and serial sex offender Colin Jack Mitchell has been jailed indefinitely for two brutal attacks on women 25 years apart.

Mitchell, 60, showed no emotion as Judge Sally Fitzgerald handed down the sentence at the Auckland High Court today.

ONN 1 News at 6 promo image

In March, Mitchell was found guilty of kidnapping and assaulting a 23-year-old woman at the Riverhead quarry, as well as the rape of a woman in 1992, which had previously gone unsolved.

In sentencing, Judge Fitzgerald said there was a clear and disturbing pattern of serious sexual offending.

"There is also a clear similarity between the nature of your offending, including its predatory nature, offending against strangers, seeking out vulnerable victims, associated violence, threats of further violence if instructions are not carried out, and in more recent times, removal of your victims to remote locations to prevent detection," Judge Fitzgerald said.

Health assessors determined Mitchell was at high risk of sexual re-offending, and Judge Fitzgerald noted rehabilitation would be unsuccessful because Mitchell continues to deny his offending.

The victim in the 2017 attack also read out an emotional victim impact statement, the details of which, cannot be reported. But Crown prosecutor Kirsten Lummis told the court, the repercussions of Mitchell's actions will last a lifetime for his victim.

Mitchell was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer and suffers from diabetes.

Outside court, Detective Senior Sergeant Kim Libby said he hoped the sentence would bring Mitchell's two victims some closure.

"Today is not about the offender, but it's about the two victims and the horrendous offending that occurred against them."

"One of these victims has spent 25 years looking over her shoulder."

SHARE ME