‘Narcissist, entitled’ winery jailed after claiming woman he raped on gas station floor was ‘desperate’ to have sex with him
Melota Metuala was sentenced to eight years and 10 months for raping a woman
The 24-year-old claimed the woman, 51 at the time, wanted to pay him for sex
Samoan man was working in New Zealand when he was arrested for rape
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A vineyard worker who claimed a woman he raped was “desperate” for his attention has been jailed after a judge reprimanded him for his “narcissistic, righteous” attitude.
Melota Metuala, 24, was found guilty of rape by a jury in June and sentenced Wednesday to eight years and 10 months in prison.
In New Zealand’s Nelson District Court, Judge David Ruth delivered his sentence on Wednesday, describing Metuala, who was working in the country’s world-famous Marlborough region when he committed the crime, as “narcissistic lawful behavior towards women.”
At the time of the attack, Metuala was finishing his second season of work at the Marlborough vineyard and was planning to return to Western Samoa.
In September 2019, Metuala was near a nightclub in Blenheim when he saw a woman who appeared to trip out of a taxi and joined a group of women.
Melota Metuala, 24, was found guilty of raping a woman he said was ‘happy with his advances’ and sentenced to eight years and 10 months behind bars (stock image)
The vineyard worker attacked the woman at a gas station in Blenheim
CCTV footage from Marlborough District Council showed Metuala putting his arm around the woman’s shoulders and leading her to a nearby street in the early hours of September 14.
The woman, who was 51 at the time, was concerned about the unwanted attention and walked towards an area near the police station, the… New Zealand Herald reported.
When Metuala realized the woman wanted help from the police, he “run off” and waited for her at a nearby BP gas station.
Judge Ruth told the court that it appeared that Metuala had decided to have some sort of sexual encounter with the woman.
“When you saw the police not following, you struck, and what followed was a degrading and degrading sexual offense,” Judge Ruth said.
According to police, the 51-year-old was ambushed after leaving the police station and walking to a gas station to buy food and cigarettes.
Metuala spoke to the woman before grabbing the back of her head and pushing her to the ground.
He then forcibly dragged the woman across the floor while trying to remove her clothes.
Metuala then raped her in the forecourt of the gas station.
Metuala’s lawyer told the court that his client believed he had not forced the woman to have sex with him.
Judge Ruth said Metuala’s evidence at trial was intended to blame the victim by describing her as a “desperate, drunk, middle-aged woman” who was willing to pay for sex with her attacker.
He went on to say that the jury rejected his “incredible and untrue story” that he had been influenced by alcohol and had no recollection of the incident.
Metuala raped the woman, then 51, on September 14, 2019, in the forecourt of a BP gas station in Blenheim, New Zealand (pictured)
Metuala showed no remorse for his crime, but apologized for causing harm to the woman.
Despite being acquitted of a strangulation charge, Judge Ruth said bruising to the victim’s neck and the fact that she lost her voice immediately after the attack was enough evidence to include it in the sentencing.
“Although you have not been convicted of strangulation, I am convinced that you have. It’s a major aggravating factor as it’s often used to gain control and still get some resistance,” Judge Ruth said.
During his bail from December 2019 to June this year, Metuala was free to live and work relatively unrestricted and met his partner with whom he is expecting his first child.
Metuala’s 10-year sentence was reduced to eight years and 10 months because of his time on electronic bail.
Metuala was nearing the end of his second season in the Marlborough vineyards (pictured) before returning to Western Samoa when he attacked the woman