Victims of a convicted Wellington sex offender due to be freed from prison are disturbed he will be allowed to attend polytechnic.
David John White, 58, was jailed for seven years in April 1999 on seven charges of sexual offending involving boys during an 18-year period.
White was a former scoutmaster in
Whitby, near Wellington, and a Wellington Free Ambulance officer.
He is due to be freed on September 27 in Christchurch and his parole conditions indicate he would like to attend Nelson Polytechnic's teaching site in the city.
White's parole conditions ban him from associating with people under 18, directly or indirectly, unless supervised by a "competent and informed adult" - someone who has seen White's personal statement or has been alerted about his offending.
But the conditions state that they are not intended to stop White from attending "Nelson Polytechnic or [a] similar educational institution".
White was described during sentencing as having "deliberately and heinously abused the trust placed in him by abusing his seven victims".
Two of his victims say these traits make him a dangerous predator who should not be allowed to mix with impressionable young students at a polytechnic once freed.
One 32-year-old victim, whom White started to abuse as an 11-year-old, said letting White go to a polytechnic was like "letting a pitbull loose among children".
"This is scary. He will get at the vulnerable students, the ones who are homesick or stressed at exam time," the victim said. "I can't see how he could have changed. He started this back in 1970."
Another said he was abused by White when he met him as a member of the Wellington Free Ambulance.
"I was 20 years old when he took over my life.
"He manipulated me and ruined my life. He is not a normal man and it must be recognised that he is a predator who has not changed."
The victims were notified of White's release by the Parole Board, which was unable to comment yesterday on matters surrounding White's being freed until it had all the relevant information.
Nelson Polytechnic did not respond to questions.
- NZPA
