A Waikato man who sexually attacked a woman before robbing a house and using the phone to call an 0900 sex line has had his sentenced reduced by the Court of Appeal.
Hira Tahitahi, 20, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual connection with a female over 16, and one of abduction for sex of a female, threatening to kill, male assaults female and burglary in June.
The charges related to an attack on a 19-year-old woman near the Claudelands Bridge in Hamilton on February 25.
Tahitahi grabbed the woman by her throat as she crossed the bridge.
He struggled with her, threatened to kill her, forced her to have oral sex and fled when confronted by a member of public who heard the woman's screams.
He went to another woman's house, broke in and stole electronic items and jewellery valued at $2000.
Tahitahi then spent 50 minutes making calls to an 0900 sex line.
He was unemployed, and believed to have been drunk, at the time of the attack and burglary.
Judge Phillip Connell originally sentenced Tahitahi to eight years and three months imprisonment with a minimum period of half that term.
In a Court of Appeal decision released today, Justices Terence Arnold, Geoffrey Venning and Forrest Miller reduced his sentence to six years and ten months imprisonment with no minimum period.
They said the sentencing starting point used by Judge Connell was too high and although sexual offences not involving rape were "not necessarily less serious" they tended to attract lower sentences.
"Although the offending was of relatively brief duration - the victim said the attack lasted three to four minutes - it was undoubtedly serious, involving as it did two sexual violations.
"The judge rightly described it as brazen," they said.
