Bay of Plenty man found guilty on raft of sex charges

A jury has found a Bay of Plenty man guilty of a raft of sex-related charges.

These were 15 charges of sexual violation by rape, 12 of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, one of indecent assault on a child, two of indecent assault and one of assault with intent to commit sexual violation.

In addition he was found guilty of assaulting a female.

He was found not guilty of one charge of injuring with intent to injure, this was by a majority verdict of 11 to one.

There were not-guilty verdicts on charges of injuring with intent to injure and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.

Justice Matthew Palmer QC remanded the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in custody for sentencing on June 6. Justice Palmer issued him with the first of a three strikes warning.

Thanking the jurors for their attention to the case, he excused them from further jury service for five years.

"When you read in the media about verdicts in the future you will have a deeper appreciation of them and know what's involved," Justice Palmer told them.

The man initially faced 50 charges but several were dismissed after the Crown's case concluded.

The jury heard his offending spanned 13 years.

The man's victim spent four days testifying and being cross-examined via closed circuit TV, much of the time sobbing as she recounted events over that time span.