Paedophilia: 68-Year-Old NZ Molester of Boys Dies 2 Days Before Sentencing; Former Youth Ministry Leader in Canada Faces 21 Years Jail Term for Child Sex Abuse (VIDEOS & PHOTOS)
Two sex offenders who live thousands of miles apart are supposed to face this week the consequences of their similar wrongdoings in the past of molesting male children.
One, however, escaped facing the consequence, while the other would likely spend 21 years of his life in jail paying for his crime.
Douglas Richard Peters, 68, from Auckland, New Zealand, did not appear before the Auckland District Court on Friday, Oct 11, for sentencing because he died on Wednesday night at Waikato Hospital.
He actually pleaded in June guilty to 10 counts of sexual offences against boys and teenagers ages 5 to 15. He committed these crimes between 1978 and 1987 at the Peters' Owairaka home, his cars or in places linked to various sporting activities he was part of, specifically in Mt Albert, Western Springs, Avondale and Pt Chevalier.
In Canada, on Thursday, Donnie Snook, a former councilor and youth ministry leader at Saint John, was scheduled for sentencing on 48 child abuse charges. He faces 21 years jail term which was what Crown prosecutor Karen Lee Lamrock had asked the court.
But he would be eligible for parole when Mr Snook serves at least half of the sentence or 10 years, whichever is lesser.
The 41-year-old pleaded guilty in May to the charges, which include sexual assault, sexually touching a minor while in a position of trust, producing child pornography and extortion. Like Mr Peters, Mr Snook's victims were as young as 5 years old when he committed the offences beginning in 2001.
Mr Snook used to work as senior pastor at the now-closed Salvation Army church in Mount Moriah.