Police file 193 charges against teacher accused of illicit recordings, child molestation

A former teacher faces nearly 200 charges in Auckland District Court. Photo / NZME

Nearly 200 new charges have been filed against a 71-year-old former teacher from West Auckland accused of indecent assault of young girls and of making illegal intimate visual recordings.

The Massey resident, who has voluntarily agreed not to teach according to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, was charged late last year with one count of possessing an objectionable publication and two counts of making an intimate visual recording.

He was granted name suppression on those charges last year and was allowed to keep interim name suppression today as he was called to appear in Auckland District Court on the many new charges.

He now faces 133 counts of making an intimate visual recording, 46 counts of indecent assault of a female under age 12, one count of unlawful sexual connection, one count of possessing an objectionable publication and 12 counts of knowingly making objectionable videos - 193 charges in all.

A police spokesperson acknowledged charging the man "following an investigation after a complaint was made".

"As the matter is before the court, police are not in a position to provide further comment," the spokesperson said.

The accusations date as far back as January 2018, on through to last November.

If convicted, the man could face up to 20 years' prison for the unlawful sexual connection charge, up to 14 years' prison for making objectionable videos, 10 years' prison for each of the 46 indecent assault charges and three years' prison on each of the 133 intimate visual recording charges.

Dozens of alleged victims are listed in court documents.

The sexual connection charge involves an allegation he put his fingers inside a child's nappy. The indecent assault charges range from holding children over a mobile phone to putting them in poses and inappropriate touching.

During a hearing today, Judge Kathryn Maxwell also allowed interim name suppression for the school where the man formerly worked.