Key Takeaways:
- Geoffery Miller, 53, has been sentenced to 9 years and 7 months in prison for historical sexual abuse charges relating to two victims in separate decades.
- The victims, now adults, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and depression as a result of Miller’s offending.
- Miller’s offending included rape, supplying methamphetamine to a minor, and physical and verbal abuse.
- The victims’ courage to come forward was triggered by Miller’s brazen remark about being "proud" of his life, which ripped open the locked boxes of pain they carried.
- Miller continued to deny any wrongdoing, despite the jury’s guilty verdict.
Introduction to the Case
The case of Geoffery Miller is a disturbing example of the long-lasting impact of sexual abuse on victims. Miller’s first victim had lived with post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and had more than 20 clinical bouts of depression as a result of his offending against her. The victim’s silence was finally broken when Miller stood in her kitchen, boasting of being "proud" of his life, a remark that felt so brazen it gave her the courage to report him to the authorities. Miller, 53, has since appeared in the Whangārei District Court for sentencing on historical sexual abuse charges relating to two victims in separate decades.
The Offending
Miller’s first round of offending occurred when he was 14 years old and repeatedly sexually abused a girl. The court heard he violated her with objects and, on one occasion, he plied her with alcohol, until she passed out, and then raped her. Decades later, Miller’s sexual offending continued, but he had a new victim. Miller repeatedly touched that girl sexually and gave her cannabis. He also supplied her with methamphetamine and smoked it with her. Miller touched her inappropriately and spoke to her sexually, as a form of payment for the drug. The victims, now adults, read their victim impact statements to Miller, while he stood in the dock at his recent sentencing, detailing the long-lasting impact of his offending on their lives.
The Victims’ Stories
The first victim said that, when she was younger, she was scared of Miller’s dark moods and he was intolerable to be around. She said she felt safer on the streets, in the dark. "I had to grow up real fast to survive you," she said. For years, she lived with post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and had more than 20 clinical bouts of depression, as a result of his offending against her. When she encountered Miller in her adult life, she became triggered by something he said. "You stood in my kitchen one day, in front of my teenage kids, and said, ‘I’m really proud of my life’," the woman recalled. "Those words triggered me and sickened me. How could you be proud of what you did to me? All the locked boxes in my brain, all the tucked-up pain came out, piece by piece. That event is what brought us here today. Your words set me free. I finally felt the courage to stand up tall and do the right thing."
The Second Victim’s Story
The second victim also lived a life with mental health challenges linked to Miller’s offending and battled a drug addiction, which took hold, after he had supplied her with drugs when she was younger. "I’m constantly living the same thing, repetitive memories take over my mind that I never asked for," she said in her victim impact statement. "I had so much more potential than what I’ve been and what I am now. I don’t remember ever feeling happy or, let alone, good enough. Instead, I felt like a worthless piece of meat." Her statement had some parting words for Miller. "I hope you f** rot in sh**." The victims’ statements highlight the devastating impact of Miller’s offending on their lives, and the courage it took for them to come forward and seek justice.
The Sentencing
Crown lawyer Danette Cole said both victims had reported Miller was also physically violent towards them. "Both victims came forward and said how they thought their life would turn out differently, but because of the offending, their lives have taken a turn for the worse," Cole said. Miller’s lawyer, Chris Muston, made no oral submissions at the hearing. Judge Keith de Ridder noted Miller had denied the offending, when speaking to pre-sentence report writers. "You make no admission whatsoever of any offending and deny any offending of any sort," the judge said. The judge considered the act of supplying drugs to a child to facilitate offending against the second victim as an aggravating feature. He sentenced Miller to five years and seven months for the rape of the first victim, and imposed an additional cumulative four-year term for offending against the second. Miller was sent to prison for nine years and seven months.
Conclusion
The case of Geoffery Miller is a stark reminder of the long-lasting impact of sexual abuse on victims. The victims’ courage to come forward and seek justice is a testament to their strength and resilience. The sentencing of Miller to nine years and seven months in prison is a step towards justice, but it is also a reminder that the impact of his offending will be felt for years to come. The victims will continue to live with the trauma and pain of their experiences, and it is essential that they receive the support and resources they need to heal and move forward.