Author: Lorna Knowles
Publication: NEWS.com.au
Date: February 21, 2004
URL: http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8745395%255E421,00.html
There were wild scenes outside the
NSW Supreme Court yesterday when the boyfriend of a gang rape victim screamed
threats and abuse at the family of the perpetrators.
Sheriffs dragged the man away from
the father and two brothers of four men facing sentence for raping two
schoolgirls at Ashfield in July 2002.
"I'm going to put your brothers
on protection," the man screamed at the family outside the court at Darlinghurst.
One brother shouted back their address,
inviting the man to "come and visit us anytime".
The man charged at the pair, shouting:
"I'll come to your house and I'll rape your mother. I'll put you in hospital
now, you f...ing dog."
The rapists' distraught father shouted:
"This is illegal. This is illegal. This is the Supreme Court of Australia."
Earlier, the boyfriend was ejected
from the court after he screamed abuse at the five men convicted of raping
LS and her friend HG at knifepoint.
"You dogs. Come here, dogs. I'll
be there, don't worry," he cried from the gallery.
One of the rapists smirked and called
back: "Relax man. Respect the judge. Respect the court, brother."
Justice Brian Sully warned the public
to behave or he would throw everyone out.
"American television is not a good
guide to the administration of justice in NSW," Justice Sully said.
The five men - RS and brothers MAK,
MSK, MRK and MMK - face a maximum sentence of life after a jury found each
guilty of nine counts of aggravated sexual assault.
The girls, aged 16 and 17, were
raped repeatedly and threatened with knives and gold bullets. One was told
the other had been killed because she had resisted her attackers.
Psychologist Gerard Webster told
the court MRK, 19, who came from Pakistan four years ago, had suffered
severe trauma in his life.
"He suffered violence at the hands
of his brothers and ... the violence in the community in Pakistan was extreme,"
Mr Webster said.
The hearings continue.
The Daily Telegraph
