http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/2004/01/14/news/n17_14012004.htm
Tattooed satanist gets life in jail for raping girl
Report by Sapa
Pretoria A JUDGE sentenced a Pretoria tattoo artist to life
imprisonment plus 60 years yesterday, which was also his 40th birthday,
for abducting, raping, indecently assaulting and torturing a
seven-year-old girl and her two brothers.
Acting Judge Lettie Malope sentenced Robbie Classen, who sports tattoos
over most of his body to life imprisonment for raping the young girl.
He was also sentenced to 60 years imprisonment on nine charges of
abduction, indecent assault and assault relating to a series of incidents
in 2000 when the girl and her brothers, aged 9 and 11, were abducted and
taken to various places in Pretoria.
The judge ordered that some of the sentences run concurrently.
The girl testified that Classen had not only abducted and raped her,
but had also assaulted and molested her, tied her to a pole and to a cross
and forced her to smoke and eat cockroaches. She claimed to have seen him
murder several children in front of her while she was tied to the cross
like Jesus Christ and that he had taught her to practise astral
projection.
Her brothers testified Classen had on various occasions abducted them,
tied them up and sodomised them. They said he had forced them to smoke and
to eat spiders and snakes. They testified about a skeleton in a cupboard
which could be brought to life.
All three children testified that Classen had repeatedly threatened to
kill them and their mother if they said anything about the rituals and
molestation. He was eventually arrested after the children told a school
psychologist and their mother about their horror ordeal.
Mrs Malope said although some of the childrens evidence sounded
improbable, this was clarified by the evidence of a police occult expert,
who said children who had been exposed to the occult as the three
victims had often tended to exaggerate and fantasise.
She emphasised that all three children had met Classen before the
incidents and had positively identified him as the man who had raped and
sodomised them. Classen also admitted to knowing the children and
testified that he had even played rugby with the boys. There could be no
question of mistaken identity.
All of the children had also identified Classen from photographs of the
tattoos on his private parts.
Medical evidence corroborated the childrens claims that they had been
raped and sodomised.
The judge said inconsistencies in the childrens evidence were
understandable as they were all young, testified two years after the
incidents, had been traumatised by the events and were all intellectually
impaired to some extent.
One was in a special school and the others attended classes for
children with learning difficulties.
Classen had a long list of previous convictions for drug-related crimes
and had spent time in jail for robbery.
Mrs Malope said it was clear he had not rehabilitated himself, despite
being given several opportunities and even spending time in a
rehabilitation centre for his mandrax addiction.
She refused Classen leave to appeal.
