NZ Herald Headlines | Saturday, February 7, 2026.
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A South Canterbury pensioner extradited to Northern Ireland over alleged historical sex crimes was someone who kept to himself and didn’t cause trouble, a neighbour says.
“He’s a single man, and that’s all I really know. But he’s always come across as a reasonable, good-living individual,” John Jensen said ofJohn Isaac Moore, his long-time neighbour in the small town of Geraldine.
“Irish-accented” Moore had lived alone in the McKenzie St bungalow he owned for the last 15 to 20 years, with the only family Jensen was aware of being Moore’s father, who visited him several years ago.
Moore caused no trouble as a neighbour, Jensen said.
“There’s no reason that I’m aware of that he could be anything but a regular citizen.”
Northern Irish media reported today Moore had been extradited from Geraldine, 38km northwest of Timaru, to Downpatrick, 33km southeast of Belfast, to face two charges of indecently assaulting a male.
John Isaac Moore had been living in the small South Canterbury town of Geraldine for 15 to 20 years before he was extradited to appear in a Northern Ireland court this week on historical sex charges. Photo / Google Streetview
The offending is alleged to have occurred at some time between June 30 and September 1, 1984, news website Inside the Courtroom NI reported.
A warrant to arrest was issued for Moore in March 2018 after the 69-year-old failed to show up in court for his arraignment, Inside the Courtroom NI reported.
A spokeswoman for New Zealand Police told the Herald they helped “our Northern Irish counterparts with an extradition request relating to this case”, referring all further comment to Northern Ireland Police.
A handcuffed Moore appeared in the dock at Downpatrick Crown Court on Wednesday local time, confirming his name and address to Judge Mark Reel, Inside the Courtroom NI reported.
Geraldine man John Isaac Moore appeared in Downpatrick Crown Court this week to face historical sex charges after he was extradited from New Zealand to Northern Ireland. Photo / Google Streetview
The arrest warrant had been executed in the courthouse cells, a detective sergeant told the prosecuting counsel, before Moore’s defence solicitor asked for additional time to find out more, including whether the pensioner had spent time in custody in New Zealand before his extradition.
Moore was given legal aid and remanded in custody until his next hearing on February 18, Inside the Courtroom NI reported.
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.
