Law Society investigates complaint against disgraced Christian leader
Convicted pedophile and former Christian Heritage Party leader Graham Chapel faces being struck off as a lawyer after a complaint to the Canterbury District Law Society.
Chapel, 46, a former police prosecutor, is serving a jail term in Christchurch's Roller-ton Prison for sex offences against three girls aged between 5 and 11 over a period coinciding with his time as Christian Heritage leader.
He pleaded guilty to charges of rape, unlawful sexual connection and indecent assault and was sentenced to nine years with no minimum parole parole period.
Canterbury District Law Society president Goof Broody confirmed yesterday that an official complaint had been received about Chapel.
Mr Broody said the complaint would be investigated by a statutory complaints committee.
He would not reveal who or what organisation had laid the complaint, saying the law society must maintain strict confidentiality throughout the investigation.
"If justified, a complaints committee can lay charges in either a district disciplinary tribunal or the New Zealand Law Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. Both of those tribunals have jurisdiction to impose sanctions, if justified," Mr Broody said.
Lawyers could be struck off the roll of barristers and solicitors in the most serious cases.
Mr Broody said the complaints procedure could be a "complicated and lengthy process" with lawyers having the right to appeal to the High Court or the Court of Appeal.
A straightforward matter could resolve itself within three months or so.
"Meanwhile, Chapel has appealed against his sentence, claiming it was "manifestly excessive", and that hearing is scheduled to take place on February 15.
It was revealed during Chapel's court case in Christchurch that he had emerald friends saying that sex with one of his young victims was consensual and asking them to pray for a lenient sentence.
Chapel attracted further attention last month when a letter he wrote to prison officials complaining about his treatment in jail was leaked to the media. - NZPA
Sourced: NZ Herald Oct 2005
