A failed bid to put a teenage serial rapist behind bars has sparked a fresh wave of criticism and possibly more protests.
The Crown belatedly appealed Jayden Meyer's sentence of nine months home detention after initially agreeing it was the right one that took a rehabilitation approach.
But in a scathing judgement Justice Sally Fitzgerald said they'd left it six weeks too late to try to overturn a punishment she is calling manifestly inadequate.
Spencer McNeil led the public protests against the initial sentence of home detention handed down to Meyer for raping four girls and sexually violating another.
Lawyers are also questioning what's happened.
Adam Simperingham from the Criminal Bar Association says there appears to have been disconnect between the Crown law in Tauranga and the Crown law in Wellington.
Both Crown law and Jayden Meyer's lawyer are refusing to comment.
Shine Lawyers represents sexual assault survivors.
Its managing director Angela Parlane spoke to Corin Dann.
