A young man in New Zealand, Jayden Meyer, has been sentenced to 22 months in prison following convictions for multiple sexual offences, including a recent charge of sexual violation against a 15-year-old girl. Meyer, now in his early twenties, initially faced charges relating to rape, sexual violation, and indecent assault involving five complainants between July 2020 and January 2021 when he was 16 years old. He was granted bail with strict conditions restricting contact with females under 16 but was subsequently charged with offending again during that bail period.

The latest offence occurred soon after Meyer was released on bail in June 2021. The victim’s testimony, accepted by a jury, stated that Meyer began kissing her and proceeded to sexually violate her despite her verbal refusal. The victim described feeling "frozen" and unable to resist as Meyer ignored her attempts to deter him. The offending was interrupted by text messages to the victim’s phone, allowing her to leave. Meyer was not charged with this offence until September 2023, two years after the incident.

The victim’s family reported significant emotional and psychological impacts. Their daughter became withdrawn, lost confidence, and required ongoing counselling. A victim impact statement described how the family was deeply affected by her trauma and their inability to alleviate her pain.

At Meyer’s sentencing hearing in Tauranga District Court, Judge Paul Geoghegan strongly criticized the fact that Meyer had been in a position to offend again so soon after being released on bail, describing it as incomprehensible that Meyer shared a space with a young female despite bail conditions. Meyer’s lawyer acknowledged Meyer’s poor judgment but the judge emphasized that the teenager understood the difference between right and wrong and was aware of his bail conditions.

The court heard from both Crown and defence counsel, who agreed on a starting point of two and a half years’ imprisonment with an uplift for offending while on bail, and a youth discount of 30 percent. Meyer had previously been sentenced to nine months’ home detention for earlier convictions, a sentence deemed "manifestly inadequate" by Justice Sally Fitzgerald in a related decision, who indicated a starting point of 10 years’ imprisonment for the earlier offending was more appropriate before discounts.

Psychological assessments indicated Meyer had a low risk of reoffending, noting some progress in understanding consent, although the report described a pattern of sexually entitled behaviour prioritizing gratification over others’ autonomy. The Crown questioned Meyer’s prospects for rehabilitation, particularly as he reportedly continued to deny the offending. The judge granted a modest 5 percent discount for rehabilitation prospects.

The defence argued for additional reductions in sentence due to personal hardship, including Meyer’s close relationship with a mother battling cancer and the social vilification he faced following his earlier offences. While sympathetic, the judge did not find these factors sufficient to warrant significant discounts.

Judge Geoghegan considered whether Meyer’s sentence could be served under home detention but ultimately decided imprisonment was necessary. He cited the seriousness of the offending, lack of remorse, persistent denial, non-admission of guilt, and the statutory presumption favoring imprisonment for sexual violations as reasons to impose a custodial sentence. Meyer has been in custody since his trial concluded in July 2023. The judge stressed the importance of clear denunciation and deterrence, especially given that the latest offence occurred within hours of Meyer’s release on bail.