The Star: September 07, 2023

The Star Thursday September 7 2023
10
COURT
Nine years
for sex
offences
on children
• By Emily Moorhouse
A MAN who filmed himself
sexually violating children as
young as 4, sometimes in public
changing rooms, has been jailed
for nine years and two months
and put on the child sex offender’s
register.
Grant Smallridge,
35, faced
22 charges when
he appeared
in the district
court.
Smallridge
also encouraged
one victim to
send sexual
Grant
Smallridge
photos and videos, calling him a
“good boy” when he obliged.
The mother of a victim described
the pain of watching
her son go from being happy
and loving to being violent and
depressed, never leaving the
house and turning to self-harm.
His personality had “completely
changed”.
She said her son blames himself
for what happened, often saying
it was his fault Smallridge abused
him.
- Open Justice
• By Anna Leask
MAMA HOOCH rapist brothers
Danny and Roberto Jaz have
been transferred to a different
prison amid concerns for their
safety.
Danny and Roberto Jaz were
sentenced to 16 and a half and
17 year prison terms respectively
last month after they were
convicted of 69 charges between
them including rape, sexual
violation, indecent assault,
stupefying, disabling, making
intimate recordings of women
without their knowledge or
consent and supplying illicit
drugs.
The brothers – described
repeatedly by police and the
sentencing judge as “predatory”
– were behind a long-running
campaign of drink spiking and
sexual assaults at central city
bar Mama Hooch and nearby
restaurant Venuti.
The bar and restaurant were
both owned by their father
Michael Jaz. Jaz Holdings was
put into liquidation on August 4.
The first report from the Official
Assignee, who was appointed as
liquidator, lists debts of $235,540.
It is understood Michael Jaz is
now in Australia.
Danny Jaz, 40, worked as a
manager at Mama Hooch and
Roberto Jaz, 38, was the
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Brothers moved for safety
SAFETY CONCERNS: Convicted rapists Danny Jaz (left) and brother Roberto have been
moved to Otago Corrections Facility in Milton after an in-prison assault.
chef at Venuti.
They were being detained at
Christchurch Men’s Prison, but it
has been learned after sentencing
they were transferred to Otago
Corrections Facility in Milton.
The transfer was due to
concerns for their safety.
In May the NZ Herald revealed
Roberto Jaz had been assaulted
in prison.
The attack came days after his
five-year name suppression
order lapsed.
When the siblings were
sentenced last month Danny Jaz
sported a black eye and appeared
to have a recent nose injury.
The Department of
Corrections would not be
drawn on the Jaz brothers’
imprisonment.
“Our number one priority is
the safety of the public, our staff
PHOTOS: GEORGE HEARD
and prisoners,” a spokesperson
said.
“For operational safety and
security reasons and due to our
obligations under the Privacy
Act, we do not comment on
the placement of individual
prisoners.”
The Jaz brothers’ sentence is
the harshest handed down in
New Zealand for such offending.
– NZ Herald
A CONSIDERED CHOICE
HOLLY LEA CARE CENTRE
At Holly Lea, we are committed to delivering exceptional care. A place where personalised care
meets modern care practices and facilities. Ensuring your lifestyle is as you’d like it to be, not as
you’re told it has to be. Holly Lea Care Centre offers care up to hospital level, as well as a specialised
memory support unit. Now offering respite care for a limited time.
123 FENDALTON R OAD, CHRISTCHURCH | 03 351 7764 | HOLLYLEA. CO. NZ