Paedophile sentenced to preventive detention

File photo / NZH

A man who sexually abused two young Northland boys and groomed three others so he could sexually abuse them has been jailed indefinitely.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victims, appeared in the High Court at Auckland today where he was sentenced by Justice Mary Peters to preventive detention, with a minimum period of six years.

The 51-year-old pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two young boys in Whangamata on the Coromandel between 2003 and 2007 and later further offending against five boys in Northland.

Police discovered the Northland offending while they were investigating the complaints from Whangamata, where the man had lived before moving north.

Justice Peters told the man he was at a high risk of re-offending and was a danger to the community.

"Your offending has had very significant and worrying effects which will have serious repercussions for years to come," she said.

"This offending was directed at the most vulnerable people in our community at an important stage of their development. The harm caused was considerable."

Justice Peters said she had to promote responsibility for the harm the man had caused, deter him and others from committing similar offences, protect the community and assist in his rehabilitation.

The man's pre-sentence report showed he was unwilling to take any responsibility for his actions.

Crown prosecutor Mike Smith applied for a sentence of preventive detention with a minimum term of seven years or above - an indefinite sentence that can be imposed on offenders convicted of specified serious sexual or violent offences.

"He has a convincing pattern of serious offending," Mr Smith said.

"He has a tendency to commit serious offending in the future. His extreme denial of committing these sex offences is one of the risk factors highlighted.

"He can't understand the scale and degree of harm he's inflicted on these individuals and the community, so he will forever remain a risk and will continue to have a tendency to re-offend."

Mr Smith said the defendant "presents a significant and ongoing risk to the safety of the community".

Nine victim impact statements were presented to the court but were not read out.

"They tell an awful story and it doesn't take a psychologist or a psychiatrist to tell us the boys will always feel marked and the effects are permanent," Mr Smith said.

The man's lawyer, John Watson, requested a finite term of imprisonment of eight years coupled with a minimum term and extended supervision order, or preventive detention with a minimum term of five years.

"I have been as objective as I can by analysing the offending in relation to previous convictions," Mr Watson said.

- NZPA