Former pastor Donald Corrie Lake pleads guilty to indecent assault of young people

The charges relate to incidents in Taupō between November 2014 and December 2017. Photo / File

A former pastor accused of indecently assaulting young people will be sentenced in May.

Donald Corrie Lake, 63, of Whangārei appeared today in the Taupō District Court before Judge Tony Snell.

He pleaded guilty to two representative charges of indecent assault on a person aged between 12 and 16 years and guilty to a further charge of indecent assault.

The charges all relate to incidents in Taupō between November 2014 and December 2017. The maximum penalty for each is seven years' imprisonment.

Four further charges were withdrawn with the leave of the judge.

Lake was told given the charges, he was subject to the three strikes law and given a formal warning.

The judge directed that a pre-sentence report be prepared and remanded Lake on bail until sentencing in the Rotorua District Court.