A hearing-impaired man who claimed to be a police officer before assaulting and performing an indecent act in front of a female motorist has been sentenced to preventative detention.
Peter Julian Martin, 46, of Wanganui, was sentenced on nine charges when he appeared in the High Court at Wanganui yesterday - charges of assault on a female and performing an indecent act related to a September 2008 incident involving the 23-year-old female motorist.
Martin was also sentenced on a second group of charges, relating to offending against a girl aged under 12, between December 2009 and April 2010 - rape, three counts of unlawful sexual connection, assault with intent to commit rape and two counts of performing an indecent act.
The court heard how in September 2008 while drinking in a hotel, Martin noticed a 23-year-old woman at the bar. He followed her outside. When she got in her car, he followed in his vehicle.
Martin flashed his lights at the woman until she stopped. After getting out of his vehicle, he told the woman he was a police officer and that she was driving after she had been drinking.
He told the woman she could continue on and he would follow to make sure she was alright.
Martin continued to follow the woman, then flashed his lights a second time before stopping his car in front of her.
He reached through the driver's window and removed her keys from the ignition, before leaning in and kissing her. Martin then exposed himself, and after the woman became upset, he punched her.
Between December 2009 and April 2010, Martin also sexually abused a girl aged under 12 on seven occasions.
Martin was helped in court by two sign language interpreters who took turns translating for him throughout the two-hour sentencing.
The court was told that from 4 years old, Martin was a student at the School for the Deaf.
He was sexually active by the age of 10 and had become sexually deviant by 14.
By the age of 21, he was visiting massage parlours and prostitutes and following females aged between 13 and 25.
In 1987 he was sentenced to supervision on a charge of indecent exposure, and in 1996 sentenced to 11 years' jail for the rape of a 14-year-old girl.
Justice Robert Dobson said Martin had caused "lifelong harm" to his victims.
"You are a significant risk to the community and society and you should remain on parole for the rest of your life."
Justice Dobson said Martin had no history of psychiatric symptoms and his life had been one of criminal offending and relationship problems.
"You are at a high risk of re-offending and this is unlikely to reduce ... you showed a lack of empathy for your victims and have caused them serious harm."
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