Frandi planned rape, suicide in 2000

Police at the home of Waimate man Jason Frandi. Photo by Simon Baker.
Police at the home of Waimate man Jason Frandi. Photo by Simon Baker.
Jason Frandi, after his arrest for the abduction of a young Oamaru woman 12 years ago, told police he had intended taking the victim to a forestry block to rape her and then kill himself.

It was to be his last act.

The then 31-year-old Waimate forestry contractor was sentenced in the Dunedin District Court to three and a-half years' jail for the January 4, 2000, incident.

Frandi was driving in Oamaru at 10.30pm when he noticed the woman cycling on Thames Highway. He followed her for 4km to where she began wheeling her bicycle up a hill at Wharfe St.

After doing a U-turn he got out and grabbed her, dragging her back to his vehicle. A member of the public tried to help, but Frandi drove off with the still struggling woman in the front seat beside him. After driving 150m, he gave up and stopped the vehicle, and let her climb out.

He later admitted detaining the 19-year-old with the intention of having sex with her.

After his arrest, he told police he planned to take her to a forestry block to rape her.

He also detailed how he was going to kill himself, but intended having "fun" with her first.

The victim impact statement detailed how she regarded the struggle with Frandi in his vehicle as a "fight for her life".

Yesterday, police confirmed they had contacted the victim, who has name suppression, and advised her and her family of developments.

At Frandi's sentencing, Judge John Macdonald said the victim now lived in fear and suffered flashbacks.

The random nature of the incident was a concern, the judge said.

Frandi described the abduction as a spur-of-the-moment plan, which was ill conceived and like an "out-of-body experience".

Frandi, who was suffering from a depressive illness and suicidal feelings, said he had decided to commit suicide and this was to be his last act. He admitted struggling with the victim and telling her he had a knife, although he did not believe he had threatened to stab the victim. A 20cm long fish knife, length of cord, duct tape and a set of handcuffs were found in his vehicle.

He was remorseful and expressed shock at the victim impact statement. He also wanted to make amends to the victim, and accepted a prison sentence was inevitable.

In references, he was described as mild-mannered and somewhat reclusive.

He was given credit for an early guilty plea, which spared the victim the anxiety of a trial, and had what would have been a five-year sentence reduced to 18 months.

hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz

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