The Tauranga woman who fought back against the justice system by taking a private prosecution has finally had justice served as her attacker was today sentenced to 28 months in prison.
Tamsin Trainor met Neihana Rangitonga on a bus in July 2010. Later the same day she saw him in a bar in central Tauranga and agreed to head to a nearby domain with him to drink and smoke.
There the night took a sinister twist when Rangitonga turned on Ms Trainor.
She said he punched her in the head before holding her down and attempting to choke her, causing her to lose consciousness. When she woke up she tried to run across the domain to get some help.
Rangitonga was charged with rape and with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
At the time the wounding charge was dropped to allow the jury to focus on the rape charge, which he was then acquitted of.
Ms Trainor, wanting justice, teamed up with Shannon Parker from the New Zealand Police Conduct Association and launched a private prosecution.
Ms Trainor had her day in court in February, when Rangitonga pleaded guilty and was convicted of "injuring with intent to injure".
On Monday Rangitonga was sentenced to 28 months in prison.
After the verdict, Ms Trainor said she was glad the case had come to an end.
"Finally this can come to an end. This has weighed on my shoulders for many years. I'm glad it's over."
Rangitonga is already in prison after abducting an intoxicated woman for sex from a Mt Maunganui Burger King drive-thru. He was sentenced to four years in prison in June 2014.
Newshub.
