A Christchurch chef who indecently assaulted four teenage employees at the restaurant where he worked has now been sacked – despite a court hearing he would keep his job and had the support of his boss.
Yesterday, Sumeer Thapa was sentenced to four months’ community detention after he was found guilty of seven charges of indecently assaulting teenage girls working at Lazeez Mediterranean Grill in Shirley.
Thapa was a chef at the restaurant at the time of the offending and the court was told that he remained employed and had the support of his boss.
The 46-year-old denies the offending, and the court heard he does not believe he has done anything wrong – and was “wrongfully convicted”.
Today, Lazeez Mediterranean Grill director Varun Kanda contacted the Herald to “clarify” the business’s position regarding Thapa.
“Thapa’s employment was terminated immediately yesterday after sentencing was confirmed,” Kanda said in an email.
“We had a misunderstanding about the conviction status in September and believed termination could not occur until the case closed.”
Kanda said the business “has a strict zero-tolerance policy on harassment or bullying”.
And, as soon as Thapa’s offending was reported in September 2023, he was given a formal warning “immediately”.
“Shortly after this report, the police were involved, and we cooperated fully with authorities throughout the investigation,” Kanda said.
“At no point did we attempt to protect him.
“We deeply regret the incident and remain committed to the safety of our staff and customers.”
Kanda said Lazeez was “a small community-based business” and staff had received “ harassment calls” following coverage of Thapa’s sentencing.
All information about Thapa’s employment status was discussed by Judge Deidre Orchard at sentencing at Christchurch District Court.
She said she was “concerned” about Thapa’s attitude towards offending.
“He says he doesn’t understand, he doesn’t accept that his behaviour was indecent, that he’s really done anything wrong,” she said.
“He’s got a lot to learn.”
Judge Orchard said in open court that Thapa’s employer had provided a “testimonial” to the court in support of the offender.
“He is willing to continue to employ the defendant, and I’m afraid he needs a bit of a wake-up call too as far as his obligations and a good employer are concerned,” said Judge Orchard.
“His behaviour does amount to sexual harassment – not just the touching but obviously … the way he speaks to young female employees, or for that matter, female employees at all, is totally unacceptable.”
Judge Orchard said Thapa “considers that he’s been wrongfully convicted” and he “plans to take steps” to remedy that.
“Which is not a matter of concern to me one way or the other … the real point is that that would indicate he is not really a good candidate at the moment for rehabilitation because he doesn’t feel he needs to change.
“However, I am hopeful that he’s not a stupid man … and I hope that would lead him to modify his behaviour.
“I guess, we’ll just have to wait and see about that.”
Judge Orchard said both Thapa’s name and the name of the restaurants should be published to protect young women from the offender in future.
“There’s a public interest in this being published,” she ruled.
“Parents of youngsters and youngsters themselves need to know if the place where they’re proposing to work has somebody working there who has offended in this way against young employees.”
All four of Thapa’s victims were between 15-18 years of age, and some were in their first paid job.
“You, in many instances, would speak to them inappropriately, by that I mean a flirtatious or improper way, and make improper comments in their presence,” said Judge Orchard.
He told one victim she was beautiful and asked her to be his “Māori wife”.
He told another that he wanted to “get drunk and party” with her and “buy her tequila”.
Thapa “constantly” called another girl “baby and honey” and said she was “sexy and hot”.
“You also asked her whether she had sex with her boyfriend … and you made comments about some of the female customers’ attractiveness, saying they were hot.
“You said that you wanted to take her out … and she could be your other girlfriend … and asked her for ‘hot pics’."
Judge Orchard said the physical assaults were “low-level” but serious.
Thapa touched the victims on multiple occasions, including on their backs, buttocks and legs.
“Usually, that was when I think you were moving past … but the jury accepted that this was not accidental.
“All of this touching was, with the exception of a couple of times when it was more lingering, … very brief, and it would always be in the context of you moving by these young women as they were occupied either at the counter or in the kitchen and either swiping your hand against their bottoms or their back when you were doing it, or swiping your side against them.”
Judge Orchard said Thapa was guilty of “sexual harassment in the workplace by an older man”.
“They were in a position where they were working and as far as they were concerned, you were in the position of a manager, or at least a person who had authority over them.”
Judge Orchard blasted Thapa, whose lawyer described him as showing “limited remorse”.
“I get the very clear impression … that you just don’t have a clue about the inappropriateness of your behaviour,” she said.
“As a 40-year-old man dealing with female youngsters, they should not be subjected to being treated like sexual objects, which is exactly what you did.
“You should have behaved professionally like an employer, not trying to behave like a contemporary – and a contemporary who was behaving badly.
“I don’t think that you get it. And I strongly advise you to just reconsider your behaviour … because it’s totally inappropriate.”
Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 20 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz