Mama Hooch sexual predators are brothers who ran the infamous bar | #childpredator | #kidsaftey | #hacking | #aihp

The Mama Hooch sexual predators are brothers who used the now infamous bar they ran as a hunting ground for victims, it can finally be revealed.

Danny Jaz, 40, a father of two, and his younger brother Roberto, 38, were convicted of dozens of crimes, including rape, sexual violation, indecent assault and spiking drinks after a two-month trial in the Christchurch District Court that began in February.

The pair, who between them drugged and sexually assaulted numerous Mama Hooch patrons from 2015 to 2018, can be named for the first time after they lost their fight for continued name suppression on Thursday.

One of Roberto Jaz’s victims, whose complaint triggered a police investigation that exposed the brothers’ crimes, told Stuff the five years since he drugged and sexually assaulted her and a friend had been emotionally exhausting.

READ MORE:
* Mama Hooch sexual predator attacked five women after police interview
* ‘I just roofied her drink’: Mama Hooch sexual predators joked about rape and drink-spiking in secret WhatsApp group chat
* Frozen with fear: Mama Hooch victim had panic attack after seeing abuser
* Serial predators drugged, sexually assaulted more than a dozen women patrons from Christchurch’s Mama Hooch bar

Such a drawn-out legal process had made it hard for her to move on with her life, she said.

“I hope this confronting experience we have faced shines a light for other sexual assault survivors and shows they do have a voice, and that predators can be held accountable.”

The Jaz brothers lied about their involvement in the campaign of sexual violence against women for years.

At one point, while they were being investigated by police, Danny Jaz blamed patrons for crimes he and his brother had committed, telling Stuff: “If we caught [those responsible], God help them. I’d break their hands and hand them over to the police.”

The Jaz brothers (formerly Jazevski) came to New Zealand from Australia in about 2003.

After arriving in Christchurch, the family set up hospitality venues in the central city.

Do you know more, or are you affected and wish to speak to a reporter? Email blair.ensor@stuff.co.nz

Danny Jaz managed Mama Hooch, which opened in 2015, while Roberto worked as a chef at Venuti and helped out at the bar when he could.

Danny Jaz attacked 15 women, many of whom he followed into the toilets at Mama Hooch late at night, where he forced himself upon them. Roberto sexually assaulted five women – filming one of them while he raped her at Venuti.

The pair, both of whom were in long-term relationships, drugged many of their victims, often by spiking their drinks. The drugs were likely high strength MDMA or synthetic drugs, or a combination of the two.

Danny Jaz’s offending was so brazen that he attacked five women after he was interviewed by a detective about a sexual violation complaint that had been made about him, including an indecent assault just two days later.

He even made a pass at a police officer when she and several of her colleagues were checking on the central city venue late at night.

The brothers were part of a WhatsApp chat group where they joked about rape and drink spiking, made derogatory comments about women, suggested potential targets, and bragged about sexual conquests.

In one instance, Roberto Jaz sent a message to the group saying: “I just roofied [name withheld]’s drink.” One of his friends replied, “Haha, did you buy her a roofiecolada.” Roofies is a slang term for Rohypnol, a date rape drug.

Danny Jaz ripped scores of photos of women from their social media accounts, some of whom he went on to attack. He also gained access to the phone of a woman he knew, and sent explicit photos she’d saved of herself to his phone, before posting them in the WhatsApp group.

The Jaz brothers, and two other men whose names are suppressed, were arrested in 2018 as part of Operation Sinatra, a massive police investigation that resulted in one of the biggest prosecutions of its kind in New Zealand.

It was launched after two women alleged Roberto Jaz had drugged and sexually assaulted them at Venuti in the early hours of July 15, 2018.

The pair, both then 18, told investigators Jaz had lured them to the restaurant from Mama Hooch with an offer of drinks.

Publicity about the case resulted in dozens of other complainants coming forward, many of whom believed their drinks were spiked at Mama Hooch. Some said they’d been sexually assaulted.

Danny and Roberto Jaz, and one of the other men, stood trial in February this year.

The Crown alleged the Jaz brothers preyed on young women they’d enticed to Mama Hooch by providing them VIP treatment, such as free drinks and the ability to skip the queue at the door to enter.

The court heard from a procession of women who believed they’d been drugged.

All the victims had been drinking – some to a greater extent than others – and some had taken MDMA (ecstasy) before they said they were either given a drink at the bar or a powdered substance and experienced what the Crown called “stupefying effects”.

Some suffered blackouts or memory loss, vomiting, loss of bodily function, their eyes rolling back in their heads and abnormal behaviours such as rage and anxiety.

Early in the trial, Danny Jaz admitted attacking 14 women, pleading guilty to five charges of sexual violation and 16 of indecent assault.

The judge found him guilty of a further 20 charges, including the rape and sexual violation of a woman and various druggings.

Roberto Jaz was found guilty of 27 charges related to various druggings and sex attacks on four women. He later admitted indecently assaulting a fifth woman.

Their co-accused was acquitted on all but a minor drug supply charge.

The fourth man stood trial separately in May, and was acquitted of sexually violating a Mama Hooch patron at Roberto Jaz’s home.

At the conclusion of the February trial, the Jaz brothers were refused continued name suppression – a decision they fought in the High Court last week.

Through their lawyers they argued publication of their names would cause extreme hardship to their families, and could prejudice another prosecution for Danny Jaz.

After his arrest in November 2018, Jaz allegedly headbutted a Mama Hooch patron who made a comment to him along the lines of “I hope you don’t spike my drink”.

The matter was set to be heard by a jury next year, but the injuring with intent to injure charge he faced was disposed of on Wednesday after the complaint was withdrawn, with the Crown saying it was no longer in the public interest to proceed.

On Thursday, Justice Jonathan Eaton dismissed the brothers’ suppression appeals saying the remaining grounds of extreme hardship to their family didn’t reach the threshold.

Danny and Roberto Jaz will be sentenced in August. The other men are seeking permanent name suppression.

Mama Hooch has been rebranded.

In February, an application to renew Venuti’s liquor licence was rejected by the Christchurch District Licensing Committee, which said there had been “ultimate failure” on the part of the licensee to meet the requirements of the law. It’s been closed ever since.

Members of the wider Jaz family have either declined to comment or not responded to requests.

Where to get help:

• Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00, click link for local helplines.

• Victim Support 0800 842 846.

• Safetalk text 4334, phone 0800 044 334 webchat safetotalk.nz or email support@safetotalk.nz.

• The Harbour Online support and information for people affected by sexual abuse.

• Women’s Refuge 0800 733 843

• Male Survivors Aotearoa Helplines across NZ, click to find out more (males only).

• If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111.

If you or someone you know is in a dangerous situation, click the Shielded icon at the bottom of this website to contact Women’s Refuge in a safe and anonymous way without it being traced in your browser history. If you’re in our app, visit the mobile website here to access Shielded.