National MPs today were incredulous that convicted teenage sex offender Mataroa Barton was placed in a Napier home near a little girl he stalked.
Barton has been moved to a house less than 2km away from the five-year-old girl and her mother's home.
The 18-year-old yesterday appeared in
Napier District Court charged with breaching his supervision order.
He pleaded guilty, was given a deferred sentence, and a probation service plan to place him in a new house under supervision was agreed to.
Barton was last year sentenced in Pukekohe District Court to two years of 24-hour supervision after being convicted of numerous charges of sexual acts with children under the age of 12.
A Ministry of Social Development inquiry is underway looking at how Barton was able to get over the fence into the girl's yard eight times when he was meant to be under constant supervision.
The girl's mother said yesterday she was outraged that he had now been placed in a house less than 2km from hers.
The woman said she and her daughter would be forced from their home.
"I don't like the idea that he will always know where we live.
"Basically I have been told (by police) it's not a case of if he re-offends, but when. I'm bewildered and really angry."
National Party Napier MP Chris Tremain in Parliament said Child Youth and Family (CYF) placed him in the house in the area.
"And does the Minister not think that the rights of victims should come before those of criminals?" he said.
CYF Minister Ruth Dyson said the court made the decision to place Barton in the community not the department.
She criticised Mr Tremain for putting information about the girl's family address on the internet.
"That member put her address in the public domain. In my view, that is a serious threat and he should have reconsidered that action."
Mr Tremain asked what assurance there was that Barton would not evade his supervisors as he got away eight times from the last home.
Ms Dyson said she was confident the district court had made sure that the community would be safe.
- NZPA
