Alleged child abuser faces more than 200 charges

A Nelson man already facing 22 counts including indecencies on children and animals has been charged with a further 215 offences.

Police successfully opposed name suppression for William "Bill" Herbert Mortensen, 53, a self-employed carpet cleaner, when he appeared in Nelson District Court today.

Mortenson today faced 108 new charges including sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection with a girl under 12 and 107 charges under the Films Videos and Publications Act including 40 charges of knowingly making an objectionable publication, 12 charges of knowingly supplying objectionable material and 55 charges of knowingly possessing objectionable material.

Police opposed name suppression because they believed members of the public may be able to provide further information relevant to the investigation.

At his first appearance in January this year Mortensen faced two charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection with a male aged 12 to 16, along with two charges of indecent assault on a male under 16.

At his second appearance in February this year Mortensen faced 18 additional charges, including eight charges of performing an indecent act on a girl under 12, three theft charges, six charges of committing an indecency with an animal and one charge of assault with intent to injure.

Mortensen was remanded in custody to reappear in Nelson District Court on June 25.