Parent gives emotional victim impact statement at child sex offenders' sentencing

August 13, 2021

Andrew Williams was sentenced to 23 years in prison and Laken Rose was given 19 years at Rotorua’s High Court.

The parent of a victim of two child sex offenders who filmed their crimes gave an emotional victim impact statement at the High Court in Rotorua on Friday.

Andrew Williams, 54, was found guilty on 56 sex crime charges and sentenced to 23 years and five months in prison, while 32-year-old Laken Rose was found guilty on 55 charges and sentenced to 19 years and five months.

They must serve at least 40 per cent of their sentences before being eligible for parole.

Williams and Rose met at the 2009 Horse of the Year Show, and the court heard their relationship developed quickly, moving in together within weeks.

During that time, they would develop relationships with children – something they said was largely facilitated by Rose – followed by intimate photography, video recordings and, ultimately, sex crimes including, on some occasions, rape by Williams.

The seven victims were girls aged between three and 13 with the offending spanning from 2014 to 2019.

"Taking your child to a rape examination is an experience I wish on no other parent," a parent of one of the children said from a prepared statement.

"Seeing your child put through that experience shatters you into a 1000 pieces."

Andrew Williams and Laken Rose in court, August 13, 2021.

The parent described having to sit through the trial of Rose and Williams.

"I sat in a court room and heard the most horrific shocking details that I had ever heard at your arraignments. I went into a state of shock.

"Ms Rose you forced all of those people to relive our children being violated, you forced our children to be re-violated on a large TV in front of the entire court, no one who was there will ever be able to forget what you forced them to hear and see, as if your crimes weren’t bad enough you never took responsibility and let everybody heal."

The person then detailed the mental trauma which was suffered by those involved.

"There is a massive sense of loss and sheer horror at what humans can do to those who are meant to be our most protected. This really destroyed a lot of the hope we had in the world around us.

"The all-consuming depression followed, seeing danger everywhere and hyper-vigilant parenting. The ease that paedophiles and psychopaths walk so easily amongst us shocks me.

"Our children would not have been harmed had it not been for either of your actions."

The parent went on to address Williams and Rose directly.

"I will never understand Mr Williams why you did not seek help but chose to violate and destroy our children instead.

"I will never understand how you, an adult female Ms Rose, a daughter, a sister, a human being, put these precious, innocent trusting human beings in a dangerous predator's hands.

"Let us not forget Ms Rose that you did more than just casually put them in danger, it was your idea, you went and found these children he didn’t even know some of them existed, you suggested hunting your acquaintances' children as your weekend activities.

"You could have stopped it all, you could have protected the children."

She then ended the impact statement with a plea for more help for young abuse survivors.

"I feel massive guilt that I have not been able to protect my child

"The children’s pain may never go away their futures are now in jeopardy, help for children is very hard to come by in this country."

In March 2019, the parents of two of the victims were tipped off about alleged offending against their children.

The police later raided their Cambridge home and seized several electronic devices.

Officers found thousands of images – including pictures and videos of offending of all the complainants.

“On that search the police discovered other items, for examples underwear of children – some used, some not used, some with the crotch area cut out of that underwear,” Crown Prosecutor Anna Pollett said during the trial.

Rose claimed Williams was abusive towards her, controlled her finances, and threatened violence.

She said Williams pressured her to find and recruit adolescent girls for intimate photography and sex.

The pair will be registered on the Child Sex Offender register.

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