An Indian-origin truck driver has been jailed for six years and nine months after raping a woman he met on a dating app during a late-night stop in a remote part of New Zealand, in an attack a judge described as taking place in the “cruddy cab” of his truck on a lonely highway.
Shamsher Singh, a married father of two, was sentenced in the Nelson District Court after a jury found him guilty of rape and sexual assault, despite his continued denial of wrongdoing.
As per the NZ Herald, the court heard the pair had met through a dating app and spent time together in Nelson before Singh invited the woman to join him on a freight run between Nelson and Blenheim in January 2024. Prosecutors said the woman believed she was safe, drawing on childhood memories of travelling in trucks with her father.
However, during the return journey, Singh stopped in a remote area of Rai Valley, where the woman had been asleep in the cab. Judge Stephen Harrop said Singh then “pounced” on her, ignoring her repeated objections.
NZ Herald reports that when she resisted, Singh allegedly said, “F*** it, I’m horny, let’s do it,” before forcing himself on her. The court heard she was left with significant bruising, with medical evidence supporting her account of a violent struggle.
Crown prosecutor Sophie O’Donoghue told the court the victim was especially vulnerable, stranded “in the middle of nowhere” in the early hours of the morning with limited ability to escape. Singh, she said, showed “complete indifference” to her distress.
In a powerful victim impact statement, the woman described how the assault had destroyed her sense of safety and stripped away cherished memories of travelling with her truck driver father.
“You stole those happy memories from me when you held me down and raped me,” she told the court, breaking down in tears.
“You left me feeling disgusted and ashamed, and I blamed myself for what happened.”
Judge Harrop said Singh offered no apology, showed no remorse and refused restorative justice. He also noted Singh’s continued denial of the offence.
Defence lawyers argued the incident was out of character, highlighting his work history and family support, including from members of the South Island Sikh community. However, the judge said the seriousness of the attack and the victim’s vulnerability outweighed mitigating factors.
Starting from an eight-year term, Singh received a 15 per cent reduction for prior good character and hardship to his family, resulting in a sentence of six years and nine months’ imprisonment.
The judge said the case highlighted the severity of sexual violence in situations where victims are isolated and unable to seek help, and stressed that the responsibility lay entirely with the offender.
SEXUAL HARM
Where to get help:
If it’s an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you’ve ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:
• Call 0800 044 334
• Text 4334
• Email support@safetotalk.nz
• For more info or to web chat, visit safetotalk.nz
If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it’s not your fault.
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