Entertainer should be "held accountable" 

Rape Crisis wants a prominent New Zealand entertainer who drunkenly exposed himself to be held accountable.

The musician was given permanent name suppression at the Auckland District Court on Friday, after admitting he forced a 16 year-old girl's face into his genitals.

He was let off without conviction because Judge Eddie Paul said publicity would have a detrimental effect on his career.

But Kim McGregor, the education director at Rape Crisis, says the effects on the offender are irrelevant when you are looking at safety in the community. She say unless the man has some form of treatment there is no reason to believe that it won't happen again.

McGregor says someone who commits such a sexual offence needs to be watched by the community, or at least undergo a sex offender treatment programme.

She says the entertainer's attitudes toward young women obviously need to change and without a sanction there's nothing to stop him offending again.

McGregor says unless those around the offender know what he has done they can't watch him, and that makes him a danger.

She says the verdict sends the message that if you're famous and commit a crime you can be protected.

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