More complainants in drug and sex abuse trial

A big cannabis-and-sex abuse trial scheduled for next month has been put off because several more complainants have come forward.

Christchurch District Court Judge Gary MacAskill today granted the Crown's application for the delay to April so that the new complainants could be included in the trial.

The 53-year-old accused man already faces 18 charges involving eight complainants, all aged under 18.

The Crown is alleging that he supplied the youths with cannabis and then either indecently assaulted them or sexually violated them.

The man has interim suppression of name and is on bail after it was granted in an appeal to the High Court.

Among his bail conditions are orders not to contact the complainants, not to have contact with young people aged under 16, not to go within Christchurch's central city area, and to surrender his passport.

It is understood the complainants are aged between 14 and 17 years.

Several of the charges are alleged to have been committed in Wellington in 1981, but most of the offences are said to have taken place in Christchurch from 2000 to 2006.

There are now five charges of supplying cannabis to young people, seven of sexual violation, and six charges of indecent assault. More charges may be laid.

Defence counsel Paul Norcross did not oppose the application by crown prosecutor Deidre Orchard for the case to be sent to a pre-trial callover on April 9 when a new date will be set for the trial.

- NZPA