Convicted Bay of Plenty rapist Lee Josey extradited from Australia

Lee Josey appeared in the Rotorua District Court on Wednesday. Photo / Kelly Makiha

A convicted Bay of Plenty rapist who allegedly skipped the country before his district court trial has been extradited from Australia.

Lee Richard Josey, 45, a former truck driver, appeared in the Rotorua District Court on Wednesday and entered no plea to a new charge of failing to appear in court in January.

Josey was to stand trial on charges laid in 2020 relating to serious sexual offending against two teenagers. Covid-19 delayed his trial nearly four years.

When he allegedly failed to appear, a judge took the “unusual” step of allowing the trial to go ahead in his absence.

The jury found him guilty on all nine charges. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

He was to be sentenced on April 15.

In court on Wednesday, Judge Joanne Wickliffe said Josey was extradited from Australia.

An application for name suppression was declined by Judge Wickliffe.

Josey was remanded in custody for sentencing on February 28. He was to enter a plea to the charge of failing to appear in court in January at sentencing.

Josey’s offending

Josey was convicted on four charges relating to one girl — rape, two of indecent assault, and committing an indecent act. He was further convicted on five charges relating to another teenager — four of rape and one of committing sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.

Court documents supplied to the Rotorua Daily Post show Josey saw the teen at a party and asked her to go for a walk because he said he needed to talk to her.

He started to kiss her and held her arms down in a hug as she struggled and told him to stop.

He then raped her. The summary said she felt frozen and shocked and started to cry, telling him to stop. She managed to get free and went back to the property.

A few months later, he saw the teen again and indecently assaulted her..

On another occasion, the teen saw Josey doing an indecent act. When he saw her, he said: “It’s a good thing you are here”.

The five charges relating to the second complainant involved Josey sexually violating the girl once and raping her four times.

Josey told police he did not have any sexual contact with the teen, but his DNA matched samples taken in a forensic medical examination.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.