However, the organisation said it is pleased that leave to appeal conviction was denied.
“We applaud Judge Bert Bam for refusing Hewitt leave to appeal the conviction,” said Miranda Friedmann, WMACA director.
She said the state’s case in finding Hewitt guilty is overwhelming and no other court will come to another conclusion.
“Judge Bam conceded that he had found sentencing in this unique case challenging – however we at WMACA believe that the age and or health of a person accused of raping a child or the number of years between a crime against a child and when it was reported should not have any bearing on the sentence handed down,” said Friedmann.
Friedmann believes that the six years jail term is lenient and that the court had shown sufficient mercy to Hewitt.
“By requesting leave to appeal his sentence, Hewitt and his defence team are taking further risks as we believe that the Supreme Court will not conclude that the sentence handed down by the High Court is shocking or inappropriate – the Supreme court could hand down a tougher sentence,” she said.
Also read:
Former tennis legend to apply for leave to appeal
Second ‘victim’ testifies in Bob Hewitt court case
