Catholic brother jailed for abusing boys

A retired Catholic brother was today jailed for 3-1/2 years for sexually abusing boys in his care at a Feilding boarding school in the late 1970s.

John Louis Stevenson, 66, of Wellington admitted sexually assaulting four boys aged between 14 and 16 at the Hato Paora Maori Boys school from 1976 to 1981.

Stevenson earlier pleaded guilty to six charges of indecent assault and one of inducing an indecent act.

He entered no plea to further charges and will return to court on January 30.

He sat in the dock at Wellington District Court with his head down as Judge John Walker sentenced him.

Known as "Brother Bernard", Stevenson worked at the school from 1970 to 1983.

He is the second former Hato Paora school employee jailed for sexually abusing schoolboys after 67-year-old Andrew Cody was sentenced to 2-1/2 years' in August.

- NZPA