Yay for Judge Callender

Chloe Johnson at HoS reports:

A district court judge is waging a crusade from the bench to stop serious offenders being released back into the community.

At one sitting earlier this month, Judge Russell Callander sent four defendants back into the cells while making strong statements about the need to keep the public safe.

During the hearings at the Auckland District Court, Callander said bail was granted too readily and judges could not take any more chances.

“We are almost weekly now presented with ugly situations in court where violent offenders seek and obtain bail, only to return home to inflict either death or further grievous injury on the original complainant,” Callander said.

“That strikes fear into the heart of any rational community, and indeed into the heart of any rational judge assessing risk issues on bail.”

The level of offending on bail is massive. Great to see a Judge focusing on preventing further violence.

One allegedly king-hit his partner, causing her to go blind in one eye.

Another allegedly robbed a jeweller’s shop while high on meth, placing a shotgun to the owner’s face.

The third was a recidivist burglar with 106 previous convictions facing a fresh charge of burglary.

The last was a man kicked out of a rehabilitation programme, resulting in breach of e-bail.

What lovely men those first two are especially.