By KIERAN FINNANE
The third man involved in the gang rape at gunpoint of two European tourists in Alice Springs in May 2012 has indicated that he will plead guilty in the Supreme Court to the charges against him.
The man, Bruce Impu (left), was in the Magistrates Court today for a preliminary examination of the matter.
He faces eight charges of sexual intercourse without consent and knowing or being reckless as to the person’s lack of consent. These charges involve variously both female victims, whom the offenders came across sleeping in their car in a side street off Stephens Road.
Impu also faces a further charge of robbery, aggravated by it being in company and by one of the parties, Ginger Green, having a firearm.
The prolonged and traumatic events took place in the night of 1 to 2 May, 2012. Impu was 17 (turning 18 the following September) at the time and is now 20.
Co-offenders Ginger Green and Norman Kernan pleaded guilty to their part in the events – essentially the same charges – and were sentenced to 15 years (with non-parole periods of nine years) in September 2013. At the time it was known that there was a third offender but there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. Neither of the complainants had been able to identify him and his co-offenders were declining to do so.
That changed in February this year, when Green rolled over and made a statement implicating Impu.
A summons was served on Impu in May and at the same time listening devices – approved by a Supreme Court judge – were installed in his cell at the Alice Springs gaol, where he was doing time for other matters.
Impu was sharing the cell with co-offender Kernan and the conversation they had following service of the summons also implicates him in the events.
The conversation was in language. Its transcript and translation formed part of the “voluminous brief’ tendered by prosecutor Stephen Robson in court today.
Magistrate John Birch had already read enough of his copy to put Impu ‘”upon his trial”.
Impu’s lawyer, John McBride, then told the court that his client intends to plead guilty. Impu will be arraigned on November 24.
Note: The photo of Bruce Impu was distributed by police media last year when his arrest for another matter was being sought.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
Nobody who hasn’t been through the ordeal could possibly understand how the victims must have felt during and after the offences took place.
It may be some small comfort for them to know that these three rapists will have to face the consequences of their actions, however, a nine year non-parole period for a 15 year sentence seems a bit lean.
Out in nine years. What a joke. Put the coward away forever. I’m sure this guy and many others would be well and truly off the streets if we followed the USA and brought out in three strikes and your out (for ever) jail term.