The sentence was hailed by Child Matters manager Jane Searle as a significant sentence that delivers justice.

“The trauma and lifelong impact on the lives of those affected victims cannot be underestimated.

“It’s important that the justice system responds appropriately because the impacts are far-reaching not only for the victims but also for the community,” Searle told NZME.

At a jury trial in High Court at Whangarei Earlier this year, Wright was found guilty of 38 counts of sexual offenses against three girls, all under the age of 12 at the time.

The charges related to various types of violations, including eight rapes, which occurred repeatedly.

Judge Michael Robinson said the victims were strong, brave and resilient young women with years of potential ahead of them.

“I want to especially recognize them and pay tribute to their courage. Each continues to suffer for what you did to them and each has a long road ahead.

“We hope that, moving forward, they will be able to enjoy the fact that justice has been done because of their bravery,” Judge Robinson said.

For years, Wright volunteered to help the mother care for her children, sometimes overnight, in her family home.

Almost immediately he began sexually assaulting children.

On one of the girl’s first overnight visits, Wright sexually assaulted her in the salon and when she moved to a room to be closer to his wife so she would feel safe, he took her back to the salon and violated it again. The next morning, he raped her.

“It is not clear whether your wife knows any of this has happened,” Judge Robinson commented to the man who appeared in the arraignment at the Whangārei High Court for his sentencing on Friday. He had no support in court throughout the proceedings.

“You have her prey”

The girl testified at trial that Wright constantly tried to touch her either in her own home or his, and even when she locked herself in a bathroom to get away from him, he was able to get to her.

The girl thought that by putting up with Wright’s behaviors, she was protecting her younger sisters from him, and was devastated to learn that they were also victims of his predatory behavior.

“There was nothing she could have done to protect them from you, you preyed on them as you preyed on her, she is not at all responsible for your offense. The only person responsible is you,” Judge Robinson said.

Wright violently grabbed another girl and raped her, while sexually assaulting another girl multiple times.

“He told you to stop, you told him not to tell you what to do and if he told anyone they wouldn’t see what was coming,” Judge Robinson said.

“How could you do that?”

One of the victims told the court that her childhood was shattered and her innocence taken away.

“I was told to shut up, how could you do that to someone at the age of 7?

“Every man I looked at was a monster, every boy was a demon,” she told the court at her sentencing.

The victim said she was afraid she would be accused if she told the truth and had a message for the young woman.

“I wish I could hug her 7-year-old and tell her, ‘No more worries and no more monsters living in the house.’

Judge Robinson criticized Wright’s continued denials and found his offending to be serious and significant.

“You claim to be a victim of false accusations, but your victims had the courage to come forward.

“Instead of taking care of them, you constantly used and abused them for your own satisfaction…they were vulnerable children.”

Judge Robinson sentenced Wright to 20 years in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years.

“If you continue to deny the crime, you will serve your entire term. If you continue to deny your wrongdoing, no rehabilitation programs will be offered. Your prospects for rehabilitation seem dim.”

Wright was automatically added to the child sex offender registry.

Shannon Pitman is a reporter for Open Justice in Whangārei, covering the courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. Joined NZME in 2023.