Lock up your children!

We'll say it again - lock up your children, if you live in Rotorua. "Why?" you ask. Because Stuff reports that Oriwa Kemp, one of those convicted and imprisoned for the horrific abuse against Nia Glassie is being freed from prison. Kemp has served two years of her three year, four month sentence, even though it is only five months since she was sentenced.


Some will argue that Kemp herself is a victim of this dreadful case, unable to stop the Curtis brothers from inflicting Nia's fatal injuries. So just so you know, none of us, neither me, myself, nor I takes that view. Kemp is as guilty as anyone involved. At any point she could have walked away, or even better, called the Police. She didn't. Her loyalty to her mates overrode any sense of right or wrong she may have had.

And it seems as though there are those in Rotorua who are not comfortable about Kemp's early return to their community. The story quotes Rotorua's Mayor:

Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters said the decision to free Kemp was appalling.

"I'm saddened by this day. I think we've got to have a justice system that has some courage to send a message that domestic family violence won't be tolerated. But the message coming out today is ... a mixed message.

"It's not a deterrent at all."

The Parole Board granted Kemp freedom on condition she be placed under electronic monitoring, completes an anger-management course, completes any other treatment or counselling deemed necessary, does not drink alcohol or use drugs, and does not have contact with anyone under 16 unless an approved adult is present.

She will be allowed to leave her parole address to travel to and from work.

Those are pretty rigorous parole conditions, and may indicate that the Parole Board has a degree of unease about Kemp's return to the community. If that is the case, why is she being released at all, and what has she learned from this experience?

Of course no sentence will change one key point - Nia Glassie is dead, and Oriwa Kemp is one of those responsible.