NSW: Brothers blame conspiracy for gang rape convictions

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2004
NSW: Brothers blame conspiracy for gang rape convictions

By Kylie Williams

SYDNEY, April 22 AAP - Four brothers who gang raped two Sydney teenagers were today
sentenced to a total of 70 years in jail between them.

But one of their victims said she was "not overly satisfied" with the sentences.

The brothers blamed a police conspiracy against Muslims for their convictions, and
continued to maintain their innocence when their jail terms were read out.

Two of the brothers were sentenced in the NSW Supreme Court to 22 years each behind
bars, and the other two to 16 and 10 years.

The four men, now aged between 17 and 25, were found guilty by a NSW Supreme Court
jury late last year of nine counts each of aggravated sexual assault in company.

The rapes occurred at their family home in Ashfield on July 28, 2002.

Another man, known only as RS, also was convicted of nine counts of gang rape in relation
to the incident but committed suicide in jail last week.

After the sentences were read out, the 19-year-old brother, known only as MRK, put
his head in his hands and wept.

His brother, known as MAK, then stood up and proclaimed the four men's innocence.

"We did not do this crime," he said.

"This crime was committed against us. The police set us up because we are Muslim."

But sentencing judge Justice Brian Sully said the cultural differences between the
perpetrators and their victims should not be used as justification for the rapes.

"Neither the law, nor the culture of Australia, recognises multiculturalism ... as
providing in any way or to anybody a convenient justification either for rape or for any
other form of sexual abuse," he said.

Justice Sully sentenced 25-year-old MSK, who he described as the ringleader, and 17-year-old
MMK to 22 years each behind bars.

He sentenced their 23-year-old brother MAK to 16 years, and MRK to 10 years.

MSK was given a non-parole period of 16 and a half years, MMK 13 years, and MAK 12 years.

However, MRK, who did not perform any of the rapes himself, could be out of jail in
as little as five years.

Outside the court, one of the victims, known as LS, said she was "not overly satisfied"

with the sentences but thanked the police and prosecutors for their work.

"Everybody with the police have done their best," she said.

One of the investigating detectives, Senior Constable Tony Adams, said no amount of
jail time would ever compensate the victims for what he described as one the most violent
rapes he had ever investigated.

"No sentence, no matter how harsh, will ever compensate the victim(s)," he said.

AAP klw/nf/drp/tnf

KEYWORD: GANGRAPE LEAD

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