Man on child sex tour charges back in court

File photo / NZH

An Auckland man charged with organising and promoting child sex tours to southeast Asia has been back in court.

The 46-year-old motel and property manager, who has interim name suppression, was on crutches when he appeared in Auckland District Court today.

He faces three charges - organising and promoting child sex tours, publishing information promoting child sex tours and dealing with people under the age of 18 for sexual exploitation.

He will reappear at the High Court in Auckland for a callover on December 8.

The man was arrested last month after police swooped on addresses in Remuera and Mangere following an eight-month undercover investigation.

The operation was co-ordinated by the Police Online Child Exploitation Across New Zealand (Oceanz) unit, a specialist team set up in 2009 as part of a global task force focused on online child sexual exploitation.

The man was arrested shortly before he was due to leave the country for Thailand.

Police said it was the first time a charge of organising a child sex tour had been laid against an individual in New Zealand.

- NZPA