He also had two historical New Zealand convictions, which the licensing authority said were driving-related and largely irrelevant.
Boldit Yor told the licencing authority that while he accepted he had a conviction in Australia, he claimed it was wrong and was in the process of appealing but had not been able to afford the legal costs.
He said he made the false statement on his application because he was confused about the questions in the form for a certificate of approval as English is his second language.
The authority said in its decision released yesterday that after the hearing Boldit Yor provided a supporting letter signed by several members of his community, who said that before he went to Australia and since his return he had been a respected, caring, and responsible community member.
“They are aware of Mr Boldit Yor’s Australian convictions but believe his side of the story and his account that he is innocent,” the licensing authority said.
The authority added that it wasn’t its job to review an Australian criminal conviction and sentence, but it was possible that Boldit Yor’s conviction had arisen as the result of communication barriers, and an inability to access good legal representation.
“The fact however remains that Mr Boldit Yor was convicted and that he is on the sex offenders register in New Zealand and Australia.
“In addition, there is no dispute that a false statement was made in Mr Boldit Yor’s application for a certificate of approval,” the licencing authority said.
It said that regardless of how he felt about his Australian conviction, Boldit Yor should have declared it in his application. It was also possible that his employer either completed the application, or helped Boldit Yor with it, and was never told about his history.
The authority also said the police should also have raised their concerns when he applied for his approval certificate.
“If they had done so it is likely that he would not have been granted his certificate of approval.
“It is only because Mr Boldit Yor made a false statement in his application that the police have been able to raise these matters now by way of a complaint.”
The police said the relevant contact in the case was now on leave, and they would not be able to comment immediately.
Efforts have also been made via social media to contact Boldit Yor.
The authority noted there had been no issues of concern since Boldit Yor obtained his certificate, and he had not come to police attention in any other way since he returned to New Zealand in 2018.
He also had the support of his community and the authority accepted he posed little risk to the wider community.
Instead of cancelling his approval certificate, the authority issued a formal reprimand and attached conditions to his operating certificate which included that he could not work in security at a school, children’s playground or play area or at any other venue or event that catered primarily for children and young people under the age of 18.
The condition will remain until September 2027, or until Boldit Yor’s name is removed from the New Zealand sex offender’s register, if that happened first.
