Palmerston North District Court. Photo: RNZ / Ana Tovey
Content warning: This story contains discussions of sexual abuse of children.
The prominent Palmerston North man jailed for sexually violating a 14-year-old boy in 2007 will keep his name secret for now.
The man was sentenced to seven years and two months imprisonment in Palmerston North District Court last Friday.
He was regarded as a leader in his profession and was well-known in the community.
Judge Stephanie Edwards declined his application for permanent name suppression, but she made a temporary order until 11am today to allow his lawyer to file an appeal against the decision.
The court confirmed this morning one was to be filed, so suppression will stay until a decision about that is made in the Court of Appeal in Wellington.
The man's application for suppression included concerns about safety in prison due to the actions of the victim or his associates, something Judge Edwards said wasn't supported by evidence.
"The submission is speculative and casts aspersions on the victim's character," she said.
The application also cited concerns about the effect lifting suppression would have on the man's family members.
Judge Edwards said in favour of lifting suppression were the conviction of serious sexual offending and loss of presumption of innocence; public interest; the victim's views; and the chance more complainants would come forward as a result of publication.
His victim, whose name is automatically suppressed, told RNZ: "I want him to be named so that others can come forward. Let's be realistic, there are others out there."
At sentencing, the court heard the man denied his offending, which he was found guilty of at a trial late last year.
He has also appealed against his convictions.
The victim met the man, now aged in his 50s, through the NZDating website in 2007.
The victim's profile said he was 19, but the Crown said the man knew he was younger when they chatted online.
When they met in person, the man plied the boy with alcohol and then engaged in sexual activity.
It was initially consensual but that changed and the victim said he was raped, although in New Zealand rape only involves a penis and a vagina.
Police investigated in 2008 but didn't press charges, before relooking at it in 2023 when another complainant came forward.
The man was in that case found not guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage boy who visited his Manawatū house after the pair chatted on gay dating app Grindr.
The victim from 2007 has told RNZ he felt sorry for the complainant in the 2023 incident, as without him coming forward police wouldn't have relooked at the 2007 case.
"He's the reason I was able to get closure in my life. Now, he's not going to have that opportunity."
The court heard last week the man had been diagnosed with an alcohol and drug disorder and depression, although references provided to the court were positive about him and his selfless approach to his profession.
Defence lawyer Steve Winter said the man had two sides to his life.
Where to get help:
- NZ Police.
- Victim Support 0800 842 846.
- Rape Crisis: 0800 88 33 00.
- Rape Prevention Education.
- Empowerment Trust.
- HELP (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655.
- Safe to talk: 0800 044 334.
- Tautoko Tāne Male Survivors Aotearoa.
- Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) 022 344 0496.
- Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
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