Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

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

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

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

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

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 / Northern Advocate

Valuation ordered for backpackers' lodge where owner drugged and molested guests

By Imran Ali
Northern Advocate·
18 Jun, 2017 07:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

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

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Michael Harris' sentencing is delayed because of a Crown application for forfeiture of the Main Street Lodge in Kaitaia where his offending took place. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Michael Harris' sentencing is delayed because of a Crown application for forfeiture of the Main Street Lodge in Kaitaia where his offending took place. Photo / Michael Cunningham

An independent valuation of a backpackers' accommodation owned by sex offender Michael Harris is needed before a decision is made on whether the property should be forfeited to the Crown.

Harris, 58, last year admitted drugging male guests who stayed at his Main Street Lodge backpackers in Kaitaia before "spooning" them, and taking intimate photographs.

His sentencing cannot proceed until the Crown's application for forfeiture application is dealt with.

A hearing on that application was to have been held before Justice Anne Hinton in the High Court at Whangarei last week but could not proceed as preliminary issues needed to be sorted first, including the value of the property.

ASB is owed $700,000 secured over the lodge as well as an adjacent building but neither Harris nor the bank can sell them because of a restraining order taken under the Proceeds of Crime Act. That order expires on July 21.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Crown is seeking forfeiture of the lodge only on the basis it was used by Harris to commit the offences against his guests rather than it was obtained from the proceeds of crime.

Harris bought both buildings in January 2012 for $1.4 million and Crown prosecutor
Bernadette O'Connor told the court last week it was difficult to know their current value unless a valuation was done.

She said during Harris' sentencing, the court could take into account any forfeiture orders made to determine issues such as reparation.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ms O'Connor applied for the court to order an independent valuation report before the issue of forfeiture was decided. Sentencing could then proceed, she said.

Harris' lawyer Wayne McKean and ASB oppose the Crown's application for forfeiture.

Mr McKean said Harris accepted there was going to be a mortgagee sale either of both properties or only one.

Harris has been waiting 10 months for sentencing and tried to sell the properties after police laid charges against him but couldn't due to the restraining order.

There were many examples of sexual offending that took place in churches, schools, and clubs but they were not forfeited, he said.

ASB lawyer Mihai Pascariu said the bank as a mortgagee was entitled to sell both buildings without a court order.

He said the court did not have jurisdiction to direct sale in a particular way.

All parties will return to court on June 22 when a hearing date is expected to be set.

Harris has admitted 12 charges of stupefying his victims, one of attempting to stupefy, 15 of indecent assault, seven of making an intimate visual recording, and seven of possessing an intimate visual recording.

The charges relate to 17 overseas backpackers and one indecent assault charge involves a 15-year-old boy.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales
Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

More than 170 customers south of Cape Rēinga are still without power.

17 Jul 08:26 AM
'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi
Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

17 Jul 06:02 AM
Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime
Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime

17 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
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
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP