Town climate near 'hysteria'

Michael Harris' victims were from various countries but most were German.

A man accused of drugging and indecently assaulting backpackers staying at his Kaitaia lodge has been refused bail.

But during his appearance in the Kaitaia District Court yesterday Michael Harris' lawyer, Doug Blaikie, slammed police for releasing "misinformation" and the media for sensationalising it.

With several high-profile sex-abuse cases exposed in Kaitaia in recent years, the climate in the town was nearing hysteria, he said.

"This has been fuelled by the way the police have conducted themselves, and the way the press has misrepresented the facts, or reported incorrect facts."

Harris was arrested last week on 41 charges including indecent assault on a male, making intimate visual recordings, and possessing intimate visual recordings. One charge is of stupefying to facilitate indecent assault. It is alleged the 56-year-old used prescription drugs to sedate young men staying at his Main Street Lodge in Commerce St, then indecently assaulted them and took photographs.

Police say there are 16 victims aged 18-25, six of whom they had so far identified. They were from various countries but most were German.

Mr Blaikie said there was nothing in the evidence he had seen that would constitute criminal offending. The photos did not show nudity or exposed genitalia, or support any kind of sexual offending. They were a breach of privacy but that was a civil, not criminal, matter.

He said some media reports spoke of video footage but only still photographs had been taken. A radio report had described a covert surveillance camera but there was no such thing. No plea was entered but Mr Blaikie said his client would defend the charges.

In contrast to Harris' first appearance, when only the Advocate and a handful of supporters were present, the court was packed with detectives, media, supporters and members of the public. Among them was Harris' brother, a retired police officer who had flown from the UK. He did not comment after the hearing.

Mr Blaikie said Harris had been criticised for damaging Northland's tourism industry, but he had spent two-and-a-half years turning a run-down lodge into quality accommodation. Guests provided labour for the horticulture industry and contributed significantly to Kaitaia's economy, he said.

Judge Murray Hunt granted media the right to film and take photos in court, and also took the unusual step of allowing the bail hearing to be fully reported.

Harris' request for bail was refused. He was remanded to re-appear on October 23. Judge Hunt said he did not rule out granting bail on his next application.

Meanwhile, investigation head Detective Senior Sergeant Rhys Johnston said police were working through a large amount of information and were speaking to potential victims.

The Operation Snap team had been working "virtually around the clock" speaking with possible victims overseas. It also had a large amount of electronic forensic material to sift through.