Paedophile divides Northland community

A convicted paedophile is dividing the tiny Northland community of Panguru on the north side of the Hokianga Harbour.

Former teacher Kaperiere Leef, who is HIV positive, was convicted in 2001 of sexually assaulting boys at Auckland's Hato Petera College.

He has lived in Panguru since his release from prison in 2003.

Although he was welcomed onto Ngati Manawa Marae when he got out of jail, his actions since - including involvement in an ongoing Maori Land Court case - have caused ructions.

Much of the conflict arose from his role as chairman of the marae's women's committee.

Marae treasurer Elaine Pomare said the convicted paedophile's presence had sent ripples through close-knit Panguru.

Most people initially "felt quite sorry for him" despite knowing of his past, she said.

"A lot of people here don't know what he is. He's a paedophile, there's no getting away from that."

She was concerned for safety on the marae where children were always "floating around".

Mrs Pomare's husband Jerry Pomare is marae chairman.

Mr Leef said he believed "people need to be treated reasonably at all times regardless of what they have done".

He has taken action in the Maori Land Court over what he calls poor management by marae trustees and, while he knew he was not the "right person" to raise the issues given his past, nobody else was prepared to speak up.

Mr Leef says his past is being used as a smokescreen to hide real issues at the marae.

He said there had been no annual meeting, no audited reports and little consultation with trust beneficiaries for some time, but Mr Pomare said that was because despite calling several AGMs, not enough people had turned up to hold an official meeting.

The Maori Land Court held a judicial conference on November 7, but details of that meeting are yet to be released.

In 2001, Kaperiere Petera Leef pleaded guilty to five representative charges of indecent assault involving five boys aged between 13 and 15, when he appeared in the High Court at Auckland.

He also admitted one charge of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.

Mr Leef, who trained as a Marist Brother and priest but was never ordained, taught at Auckland's Hato Petera College from 1996.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)