Former school leader jailed for sex abuse

Norman Foot was jailed for nine years for the sexual abuse of a young girl. He had previously served time in jail for possessing child porn. Photo / file

A woman who was sexually abused as a child by a deputy principal cried as she told the perpetrator how much he had destroyed her life.

"I was not murdered but the woman I could have become doesn't exist because Norm violated me," the woman told Rotorua District Court today during the sentencing of 65-year-old Norman John Foote.

Foote, who is a former deputy principal now living in Rotorua, was sentenced to nine years' jail after he was previously found guilty of two charges of sexually violating the girl by unlawful sexual connection and four charges of either doing an indecent act on the girl or indecently assaulting her.

The offences were committed over a nine-year period in the 1990s, starting when the complainant was a child.

Foote had also previously been jailed for possessing more than 1000 images of child pornography.

Foote sexually abused the girl while he was deputy principal of an East Coast school. He is no longer employed in schools.

The victim, who is now an adult, read out her victim impact statement in court and said she had been left isolated and confused.

She said she had found it hard to hold down a job. She said she had nightmares and still woke up in the middle of the night crying and screaming. She had been receiving counselling for three years and needed help to realise that what Foote had done to her was not her fault. She talked about how the abuse had impacted her self worth and how she viewed her body.

"He took my innocence away for his own selfish desires and I will never get that back."

Judge James Weir said Foote still maintained his innocence which was wrong given the overwhelming evidence.

"I listened carefully to you [during the trial]. I listened carefully to her [the victim] and the other witnesses. I have no doubt that all these [offences] occurred."

Judge Weir said it was clear the victim had suffered emotionally and mentally. The victim had suffered from a chronic fatigue disorder and "drifted" into using drugs because of Foote sexually abusing her.

Judge Weir said the victim had faced her difficulties as a result of what Foote had done to her with great courage.

Foote's lawyer, Murray McKechnie, said the previous conviction relating to the possession of child pornography occurred after the sexual abuse of the victim. Mr McKechnie said Foote was supported in court by his mother who is in her 90s, and a brother.

The victim and her family, who were in the public gallery, did not want to comment afterwards.