By Shannon Pitman, Open Justice reporter
WARNING: This article discusses sexual abuse and may be upsetting to some readers.
A man who once raped a teenage hitchhiker and more recently owned a pack of starving dogs that killed someone has now been convicted for sexually abusing a child.
It is the latest in a string of offences for Far North man Abel Wira who was recently jailed for the manslaughter of Panguru man Neville Thomson after that fatal dog mauling.
It was the first time anyone in New Zealand has been charged with manslaughter as the owner of dogs who attacked a person resulting in death.
Mauled to death
In 2022, Wira came to house-sit Thomson's home in Panguru while his landlord was in the South Island and brought with him 23 dogs: six adults and 17 puppies.
When Thomson returned, Wira stayed on with his pets, which he kept confined in a caravan, sometimes unfed for days.
The dogs, which had not been fed in two days, escaped from the caravan and mauled Thomson to death.
Wira received a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence in October for that offending.
Sexual offending
While that case was moving through the courts, another was on foot in the Kaikohe District Court.
In January this year, Wira went to trial on several historical charges of male rapes female under the age of 12 and unlawful sexual connection.
The jury acquitted him of all but one unlawful sexual connection of a child, during which he made a child perform a sexual act on him.
The victim alleged it happened on multiple occasions.
It is the second time Wira has come before the courts for sexual offending. He has already served a sentence for raping a teenage hitchhiker in 2003.
The teen had been hitchhiking near Springs Flat, just north of Kamo, to Kerikeri when she accepted a ride from Wira.
During the trip north the woman fell asleep and Wira drove to a remote location and locked the car doors when she tried to get out.
When the woman realised she could not protect herself against his strength, she pretended to be unconscious.
Wira then raped her.
She was able to escape and flag down a passing motorist after Wira stopped in Hikurangi.
For that crime, he was jailed for six years.
'This is all Mr Wira's doing'
At his recent sentencing in the Whangārei District Court, Judge Greg Davis commended the latest victim for having the courage to come forward.
"None of what has happened has anything to do with you. This is all Mr Wira's doing."
Judge Davis said that since Wira offended against the woman she had been physically and mentally "on the run".
Crown lawyer Richard Annandale said after Wira was released from prison for his prior bad behaviour, he went on to offend against a child.
"The general proposition I make is the community should see such a picture. That is, a man who has been imprisoned for a long time, being released on parole and then offending against a [child]," Annandale said.
"In the meantime, Mr Wira hasn't stopped offending."
Wira's lawyer, Mathew Ridgley, said the assessment of his end sentence needed to be against his current sentence for manslaughter.
"He was eligible for parole at the time of the manslaughter sentence," Ridgley submitted.
Judge Davis sentenced Wira to six years' imprisonment, cumulative to the sentence he is currently serving.
He was also added to the child sex offender register and will be required to go before the Parole Board for release.
Where to get help:
NZ Police.
Victim Support 0800 842 846.
Rape Crisis: 0800 88 33 00.
Rape Prevention Education.
Empowerment Trust.
HELP (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655.
Safe to talk: 0800 044 334.
Tautoko Tāne Male Survivors Aotearoa.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) 022 344 0496.
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
