As put by Detective Kelsey Smith:
Police acknowledge the sentence handed down to patched Mongrel Mob member Lou Daniel Harmer today in Napier District Court.
Mr Harmer was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months imprisonment for significant sexual offending, after being found guilty on 14 counts of charges relating to sexual offending against multiple young girls.
We are pleased to see justice done for his victims who had the bravery to come forward and tell their stories.
Standing up to an abuser to relate their account requires a huge amount of courage.
We hope that they have been able to find some sense of healing through this process, and can take reassurance from the knowledge that their actions and bravery may have protected other young people from suffering how they did.
Police would like to thank the victims and their families for their willingness to work so closely with Police to bring this matter to the right conclusion.
We would like to acknowledge the hard work of our investigation team, who worked tirelessly to bring this case to court, and the specialist sexual assault agencies who supported the victims through this process.
We would like to reassure any victims of sexual offending that we take these matters seriously.
Police have a robust process and highly trained investigators who are dedicated to these cases, and will ensure there is a safe space to report matters in confidence.
