Stabbing victim had form for indecent assault

A man stabbed to death in Rotorua had earlier been convicted of indecently assaulting a teenage boy.

Roman Henry Skorek was found with wounds to his face and body in Kuirau Park early on Tuesday morning.

Rotorua baker Rawiri James Samuel, 21, and an unnamed 20-year-old man have been charged with his murder.

Two youths, aged 14 and 15, are charged with assault and police say other charges may be laid.

It is not known what Skorek was doing in the park. He usually divided his time between Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf and a home on the Pacific Island of Niue.

The Herald on Sunday has learned Skorek had been convicted of one charge of indecent assault after a jury trial in the Auckland District Court on December 16, related to an incident on Great Barrier on June 13, 2010.

He was acquitted of a further two charges of indecent assault. Another charge of assault with intent to commit a crime was withdrawn.

Court documents describe the victim as a boy over the age of 16.

Auckland child abuse detectives found Skorek had indecently assaulted the boy after approaching him on an island road.

Skorek was sentenced to 100 hours' community work and ordered to pay $1000 reparation to his victim.

Skorek had lived in Niue since 1997, owned a house in Huihui and was well known in the area.

A neighbour there, who declined to be named, said Skorek had been known to make advances towards young men.

Niue chief of police Mark Chenery said Skorek had not been charged with any sexual offences on the island. "It's not a big island. There are only 1600 people here, on a good day. Everyone knows everyone," he said. "He has been described as a free spirit and I'd say that was fairly accurate. He had a very distinctive appearance, with his peroxide blond hair."