Sex offender faces 'significant' prison sentence

Photo / Herald Online

A high risk child sex offender has been warned he faces a "significant" prison sentence for his fifth and six breaches of parole conditions which prohibit contact with children.

John William Edge, 49, was refused bail when he appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday and admitted breaching his 10-year extended supervision order on July 12 by doing voluntary work he knew was unsuitable and by associating with children under 16 on July 17 without a supervisor or any written approval from probation.

He was convicted and remanded in custody for sentence on September 1.

Judge Stephen Coyle said he accepted public defender Campbell Savage's submission that Edge's wish for time to "put his personal affairs in order" because of the "distinct likelihood of imprisonment", was a relevant consideration when deciding on bail. But an issue of public safety was involved.

Prison was a probability, rather than a likelihood, the judge told Edge. The offending had involved the defendant working where children were present. Bail was refused.

Court probation officer Liqueshia Dougherty said the police advised Edge's probation officer on July 12 that the defendant had been in contact with young children. He had been working voluntarily at a children's charity barn and worked there on July 17, although he was directed not to because there were children involved.

The two breaches of the order were Edge's third this year, Ms Dougherty said.

Last year, Edge was jailed for eight months for twice breaching a Parole Act extended supervision order by associating with children under 16. He breached the order again in April but sentencing was deferred for nine months to avoid any disruption to a a psychological assessment and a counselling programme he was doing.

Judge Coyle said Edge would need to be re-sentenced on the April breach. He had a history of breaching release conditions and was under an extended supervision order because of sexual offending against children, his convictions starting in 1981 and going through 1995, 2008 and 2009.