The victim from 2007 says the man invaded his youth and took away his innocence. Photo: 123RF
- Prominent man who sexually violated a teenage boy in 2007 keeps name secret for now
- Man jailed for seven years and two months
- Victim says suppression must lift in case there are other victims.
Content warning: This story contains discussion of sexual abuse of children.
A prominent Palmerston North man jailed for seven years and two months for sexually violating a 14-year-old boy in 2007 will keep his identity secret for now.
The man was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court on Friday, where he lost his name suppression.
Judge Stephanie Edwards said his application for suppression didn't make the case of undue hardship for the man or family members.
He still denies his offending and plans to appeal against his convictions.
After defence lawyer Steve Winter indicated an appeal would also be filed against the lifting of suppression, Judge Edwards ordered suppression orders covering the man's identify continue until next Friday.
If an appeal were filed the order would extend beyond that until the matter was decided.
The man's victim, in his victim impact statement read to the court on Friday, said he wanted the man's suppression lifted.
"People need to know who you are," the victim said.
"You were an adult man preying on small boys."
At a trial before Christmas, the man was found guilty of a charge of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and two of sexual conduct with a 14-year-old in relation to the 2007 incident.
The victim met the man, who is now middle aged and known as a leader in his profession, 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 him with alcohol 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 said the man invaded his youth and took away his innocence.
"It took someone else to come forward for your abuse to be exposed and for me to be believed."
The victim said he resorted to alcohol and drugs to self-medicate for his post-traumatic stress order. These turned into addictions he'd received treatment for.
He struggled with trust, which affected relationships, and with his sexual identity, while blaming himself for what happened.
"I wonder what I might have been able to achieve had you never have come into my life," the victim said of the man.
He told RNZ: "I want him to be named so that others can come forward. Let's be realistic, there are others out there."
The victim said 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."
In court Judge Edwards said the man's offending involved planning and premeditation.
The man's online communications with a 14-year-old were inappropriate.
"The psychological harm you have caused to your victim is significant and lifelong. He has also been severely impacted by your denial of your offending for 17 years," Judge Edwards told the man.
"Your victim was a vulnerable 14-year-old, so the fact he consented to some sexual activity is neither a defence nor mitigating."
The man had been diagnosed with an alcohol and drug disorder and depression.
Two references to the court described him as a trusting and loyal friend, whose selfless approach to his profession inspired them.
Judge Edwards said because the man still denied his offending she couldn't give him credit for remorse, but she allowed some discount for matters including the likely effect of a jail sentence on a middle-aged man with depression.
Winter said the man had two sides to his character. One was revealed before the court, the other had a long and significant career, which deserved consideration at sentencing.
The man still denied the offending but knew he would receive a long jail sentence given his conviction.
His name will be added to the child sex offender register.
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.
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