Survivors of Mama Hooch sexual predators Danny and Roberto Jaz have spoken of the dramatic impact on their lives of the brothers' sickening crimes as the pair await sentencing.
Convicted rapists Danny Jaz, 40, and Roberto Jaz, 37 are being sentenced at the District Court in Christchurch today.
Convicted rapists Danny Jaz and Roberto Jaz learnt their fate at the District Court in Christchurch today. (Source: 1News)
In court today the public gallery was packed with survivors and their supporters. A second court room has been set up as an overflow space, with a video feed of proceedings.
One survivor, Sophie Brown, waived her right to name suppression.
She told the court that being stupefied and sexually violated by Danny Jaz led to "some of the darkest days" of her life.
"The times when I couldn’t deceive myself into believing nothing had happened, I was filled with sadness, shame, embarrassment, fear, emptiness.
"I searched for constant distraction, which has even sometimes meant self-sabotaging my life to live in chaos in order to avoid the silence," she said.
"You stole my fierce independence from me. You stole my right to feel safe in my own mind from me. And you stole my right to autonomy over my own body away from me."
She said the offending had impacted her relationships with men.
“People will still describe me as a person who is confident, tenacious, and strong willed. But when it comes to romance, I become a timid pushover who fears that if I don’t please them, I’m not doing my job as a woman.
“I lack confidence, trust, and the safety of believing that I have control - there’s a few reasons that I’m exploring as to why this is, but your name is highlighted, underlined and in bold on the top of this list.
“You’ve made it difficult for me to trust men, to form meaningful connections and enjoy the happiness I deserve of loving healthy relationships.”
'Women are exploited'
She also referred to the fact Danny Jaz has a young daughter.
"She’ll be 19 one day, and you’ve made sure that she continues to live in a world where women are exploited," she said.
"She continues to live in a world full of men like you who believe women owe you the privilege of access to their own bodies, irrespective of whether she wants to or not."
The first woman to speak said Danny Jaz had "completely rewired my brain".
"The fun loving girl has gone and will never return.”
She had left Christchurch soon after the attack, and said the place she loved would never be the same.
The second survivor to speak had also felt no choice but to leave the city.
"This process has been tough - mentally and physically draining. The process has caused a lot of anxiety and stress," she said
"I’ve moved well away from Christchurch. I felt like I was suffocating at the thought of seeing you or an associate.
"The offending against me has changed me. I struggle with it. I’m fearful and vigilant.
"I feel utterly sad for you."
Another survivor, who was drugged and indecently assaulted by Roberto Jaz, said she was targeted three days after her 18th birthday.
“What this man did to me was violent.
“It’s a disgusting act performed on a young, helpless teenage girl who was unable to consent that night.
“He took my innocence when he decided to violate my innocent young body.”
She had to watch her friend, who was also drugged and indecently assaulted by the same brother, be attacked.
“I still have some memory of the events - it’s affected me so greatly, it haunts me every day, but over the years, I’ve been learning how to cope.
“You left me feeling like a man will always hurt me. I always feel like I’m nothing - like that feeling I got when you left me laying on the floor or in the booth
Lost name suppression
The pair had been convicted on 68 of the 113 charges they faced at a six-week trial earlier this year. They then lost their name suppression and had their identities revealed in May.
The brothers used their management positions at Mama Hooch to prey on young women, targeting both patrons and waitresses by putting drugs into their drinks.
It was proved they had drugged 17 women between 2015 and 2018, and sexually assaulted the same number.
While they did beat some allegations, Judge Paul Mabey KC reached guilty verdicts on some of the most serious charges including disabling, stupefying, indecent assault, sexual violation and rape.
The sentencing continues.
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