Woman’s powerful words to rapist Hayas Kardo after Adelaide Aquatic Centre spa attack
A woman raped in a public spa has made an emotional statement in court, telling her attacker the experience ‘changed every part of who I am as a person’.
A woman raped in a public Adelaide spa told her attacker she forgave him because she had “no room in her heart for hate”, a court has heard.
Megan Bales, 30, was sexually assaulted by Hayas Kardo while in the spa at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre in September 2018.
He was found guilty of one count of rape and one count of indecent assault in November last year, following a judge alone trial.
The taxi driver, 63, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He was taken into custody after the verdict and reappeared in the Adelaide District Court on Thursday to begin hearings to determine his sentence.
Ms Bales slowly read her victim impact statement as an interpreter translated her heartfelt words to her rapist.
She cried as she told Kardo his actions had impacted her entire life and ruined her relationship with her former fiance, who she met as a teenager.
“After the incident I couldn’t bear to let him touch me, nor could I open up to him as to why,” Ms Bales said.
“I can’t walk more than 15m from my house without having a panic attack, always thinking someone is behind me and for a long time I was scared of everyone.
“You have changed every aspect of me as a person.”
Closely staring at her abuser, she said he continued to deny what happened, even though they both knew the truth.
“You still can’t be a man and own up to what you did.
“I’d love to hear you apologise to me but I know it won’t happen.”
Prior to the incident, Ms Bales said she had “a great life” and was proud of achieving her goal of becoming a head chef.
But, she said was let go because of her “crippling anxiety and panic attacks”, which saw her struggle to leave her house to attend shifts.
On the days she made it to work, she said she left early because she’d panic if someone stood too close to her.
“Since then, I’ve not even been able to hold down a part time job.”
The woman said she turned to alcohol to cope with her anxiety and had been hospitalised “many times” because of her drinking.
“I have nightmares and I can’t be alone.
“Sometimes I have no choice but to be alone and I’ll lock myself in my ensuite just so I can feel some aspect of security and ride out the night.”
Coming to the end of her statement, Ms Bales said she was “truly sorry” her abuser’s family were also victimised from his crime as well as her family.
“I have no room in my heart for hate so today I choose to forgive you for what you have done, because I deserve to be free of hate, fear and despair.
“Today I choose to begin my path to healing.”
The rapist stared intently at his victim as she read her statement.
Judge Liesl Chapman thanked Ms Bales for speaking and said she was “a very strong woman.”
During his trial, the court heard Kardo used the cover of bubbles while committing his assault on Ms Bales.
The woman, who visited the pool to relax after a busy week, fell asleep and woke to find her leg over Kardo’s lap with one of his hands inside the left leg of her swimming shorts and the other touching her breast.
She got out of the spa and immediately told a lifeguard about what had happened.
Prosecutor Carmen Matteo said it was difficult to tell what was happening under the bubbles but the pair sat with an “unnatural physical closeness” to each other, which was captured on CCTV footage.
Judge Chapman said Kardo moved “unnecessarily and inappropriately” close Ms Bales as she slept, and the footage showed he had an eight-minute window to commit the offences.
“I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of these offences,” she said.
Kardo will reappear in May.