WA minister sorry over rape caseOctober 21, 2004
WEST Australian Justice Minister Michelle Roberts today apologised to the family of an elderly rape victim for the way she handled their concerns about the parole of the two teenage offenders.The rapists, who were returned to custody yesterday after breaching strict parole conditions, were released from prison two weeks ago after serving four years of an eight-year sentence.
They were aged 14 and 15 when they repeatedly raped the 74-year-old great-grandmother in 2000.
The victim's family told The West Australian newspaper that it took Ms Roberts several weeks to respond to their concerns about the parole decision, and their worries about broader community safety.
Today, Ms Roberts said she had not ignored the family's approaches, and had immediately referred them to the Department of Justice for action.


"I'm more than prepared to apologise to the family for my office not being more in direct contact with them," she told reporters.
"But my office did take every action on a number of occasions to ensure that the appropriate authorities were in touch with them, and that meetings with senior people take place, and that the victim notification people were working with the family.
"I think in retrospect, it would have been better had my office assured them of the fact that we were actioning the matter with the Department of Justice and exactly what was being done."
Ms Roberts said that while a complete review of the matter was ordered early last month, claims made by the father of the elder offender, now 19, were unsubstantiated.
Yesterday, the father - also a convicted rapist - contacted a Perth radio station and claimed his son had been living with him in breach of his bail, and had on several occasions been visited by justice officials.
"The information that has got out there is a lot of misinformation, and taking the word for example, of a convicted rapist - the boy's own father - in matters like this, I think, is a concern," she said.
She rejected renewed Opposition calls for her resignation, and denied lying over the matter.

Awww...following in daddy's footsteps........SICKENING!!
Someone needs to be held accountable, i hope there will be an inquiry.