Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Solicitor-General declines police request to lay human trafficking charges against Hawke’s Bay man

RNZ
12 Jul, 2024 09:52 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Parminder Singh will appear at Napier District Court on August 9. Photo / NZME

Parminder Singh will appear at Napier District Court on August 9. Photo / NZME

By Lauren Crimp of RNZ

The Solicitor-General has declined a police request to lay human trafficking charges against a Hawke’s Bay man who is already facing charges of rape and exploitation.

In 2023, police believed they may have uncovered a human trafficking and migrant exploitation ring in the region, sparked by a “distraught” victim raising the alarm.

In December, a now 45-year-old man was arrested and charged with unlawful sexual connection and rape.

His interim name suppression was lifted in January, and Stuff reported he was named as Parminder Singh.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Stuff also reported he denied those charges.

Since then, a second alleged victim had come forward and Singh now faced further charges, including rape and exploitation of an employee, police said.

In December, Detective Senior Sergeant Sally Patrick told RNZ police believed migrant exploitation and human trafficking were also at play - but they first had to follow due process and seek the Solicitor-General’s consent to lay the trafficking charges.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

That consent was not granted.

“The acting deputy Solicitor-General declined consent on the basis that, on the material made available to Crown Law, there was insufficient evidence to prove such a charge at this time,” the Solicitor-General’s office said.

The fact that sexual offending charges and exploitation charges had already been laid was considered as part of that decision, it said.

Singh faced trial by jury, and was next due to appear at Napier District Court on August 9.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Silver Ferns arrive in Napier ahead of sold-out match against Proteas

22 Sep 04:53 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Cyclone-hit culvert rebuilt with fish ladder and repurposed material

22 Sep 03:55 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

Charity begins at home as Magpies launch bid for home quarter-final

22 Sep 03:39 AM

Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Silver Ferns arrive in Napier ahead of sold-out match against Proteas
Hawkes Bay Today

Silver Ferns arrive in Napier ahead of sold-out match against Proteas

It is the Silver Ferns' first international match in Hawke’s Bay since 2017.

22 Sep 04:53 AM
Cyclone-hit culvert rebuilt with fish ladder and repurposed material
Hawkes Bay Today

Cyclone-hit culvert rebuilt with fish ladder and repurposed material

22 Sep 03:55 AM
Charity begins at home as Magpies launch bid for home quarter-final
Hawkes Bay Today

Charity begins at home as Magpies launch bid for home quarter-final

22 Sep 03:39 AM


Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP