Ex-teacher admits assaulting boys

Former Mount Maunganui College teacher Kairau Ngahau pleaded guilty to a raft of sexual offences against two boys in Tauranga District Court yesterday.

A former teacher has admitted molesting two of his male students at Mount Maunganui College in the 1970s and into 1980.

Kairau Ngahau, 76, pleaded guilty to six charges through his lawyer Tony Balme in the Tauranga District Court yesterday.

That is, four representative charges of indecent assault against a boy aged 12-16, and one representative count of sodomy.

Ngahau also pleaded guilty to a further count of indecent assault against a second student, also aged between 12-16, when his offending took place.

All the offences were committed in the 1970s and into 1980.

The first complainant said Ngahau deliberately brushed up against him on multiple occasions during class.

The victim told police he began to realise this was a precursor to being regularly told to stay behind after class.

Ngahau would take the victim into a back room and sexually assault him.

Ngahau would place his hand over the victim's mouth to keep him quiet. The victim told police he recalled this happened at least four times.

He knew what was happening was wrong, but "felt helpless" and unable to tell anyone.

The same victim recalled on other occasions Ngahau would commit other sexual offences after asking him to remain after class for various reasons.

Ngahau's offending ended after the student left the school.

The second victim recalled on one occasion going into the back room where Ngahau had him climb up a ladder or similar to look for some books on the top shelf.

While doing so Ngahau placed his hand on his buttock and pressed his groin against him.

The teacher had then placed his hand inside the victim's uniform shorts, and groped him.
Ngahau left the school in the 1980s, the summary said.

Judge Thomas Ingram told Mr Balme that he was not unmindful of Ngahau's health problems and it would be a factor taken into account at sentencing but the starting point must be prison.

Mr Balme said his client wanted these matters resolved as quickly as possible out of concern for his victims and understood he was likely to go to jail.

Judge Ingram further remanded Ngahau on bail pending sentencing on August 22.