Accused has name suppression on child sex charges from the 1960s

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A man extradited from Australia on child sex charges involving girls here in the 1960s, has been granted interim name suppression.

Judge Chris McGuire granted the application for suppression when the case was called in Gisborne District Court. It will be reviewed at the man’s next appearance on March 12.

The accused, now 71, faces 12 charges involving two female complainants. Most charges allege the man did indecent acts with the girls. One charge alleges he raped one of them.

Counsel Vicky Thorpe entered not guilty pleas on the man’s behalf and requested his attendance be excused.

Her client lived in another centre and had health problems that made it difficult for him to travel, as verified in a doctor’s letter for the court, Ms Thorpe said.

She asked for the man’s attendance to be similarly excused when the case was next called.

Judge McGuire noted the charges were laid in March 2017.

Ms Thorpe said the delay was due to the extradition process and other matters.

It was not until Christmas Eve last year she was contacted and asked to take the legal aid assignment.

The man was living in Australia for several years. The complaints were made more than a decade ago, she said.

Matters had gone into abeyance but resurfaced two years ago.