A vulnerable woman left with permanent, life-changing injuries after a serious car crash was raped by a migrant care worker who targeted her on the first day he was allowed to work without supervision. The victim said the attack left her suffering from depression, anxiety and a constant sense of fear.
Jailed and Deported
Karanpreet Singh, an Indian national in his early 20s who had moved to New Zealand before taking up work as a care worker, has now been jailed for eight years, three months and two weeks. He will be deported to India after serving his prison sentence.
Singh was convicted of rape and attempted sexual violation following a judge-alone trial in the Hamilton District Court. He was sentenced on Friday by Judge Philip Crayton.
Victim Impact
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman described how she had already endured multiple operations following the devastating road crash before suffering the sexual attack, reported the New Zealand Herald. She said staff at supported accommodation helped her with everyday tasks including meals and medication. Singh worked at the facility but was not assigned as her support worker.
The victim told the court she had since needed increased medication to help her sleep and had undergone counselling to cope with the trauma. She said: "Even though I have high security in my house, I still feel unsafe and scared. I've had numerous surgeries because of my crash, then to be abused in this way is disgusting. I should have been able to trust him."
Judge's Remarks
Judge Crayton said Singh became aware of the woman's circumstances while training as a care worker. After completing his initial supervised period, he was permitted to work independently. On his very first day without supervision, he went to the woman's home despite having no legitimate reason to be there. After talking with her, Singh attempted to kiss the victim before raping her. He then urged her not to tell his colleagues about what had happened.
The woman showered after the attack, but before she could seek help Singh returned to the property. Judge Crayton said Singh then attempted to sexually violate her again. The judge said: "She found that painful. She told you so, and she told you to stop. She eventually managed to get free of your grip."
Sentencing
In sentencing, Judge Crayton described the attack as a gross breach of trust and said Singh had exploited both his position and the victim's extreme vulnerability. "This involved you entering her safe space. You did so uninvited, and you did so without authority," he said. The judge also concluded the offending was premeditated, pointing to Singh's decision to return to the victim's home after the initial rape. "This was plainly premeditated. I do not find that there's any coincidence between this being your first unsupervised period and your offending," he said.
Judge Crayton rejected suggestions the attack could be dismissed as youthful behaviour, saying it was far more serious than a "youthful indiscretion". Starting from a 10-year sentence, he reduced the term to reflect Singh's age and the additional hardship he would face as a foreign prisoner before imposing a prison sentence of eight years, three months and two weeks. Once he has completed his sentence, Singh will be deported to India.
