Carer on trial accused of feeding kids grass

A man who physically and sexually abused young kids put in his care by CYFS is on trial.

A Northland man physically and sexually abused vulnerable children who had been placed in his care by Child, Youth and Family, the High Court in Whangarei has been told.

Taite Hemi Kupa, 57, a teacher, is standing trial in the court on five counts of assault on a child under 14, one assault of a female, four of sexual violations by rape of a child under 16, nine of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection of a child under 16, and one of attempted rape on a child aged under 16.

It's alleged Kupa used violence to punish the children and gave them "grass sandwiches" if they were naughty.

Defence lawyer Kelly Ellis said Kupa's defence was that the alleged physical assaults were him using reasonable force, as allowed under law, and had been exaggerated by the children.

"The defence case is that these sexual acts simply did not occur. This is a story that just keeps growing," Ms Ellis said.

The alleged offending between 2011-2013 was against six victims, most under the age of 14.

All six allegedly suffered physical abuse while two were allegedly sexually abused. The offences are alleged to have taken place in the CYF "family home" Kupa ran with his wife in Whangarei and two of the sexual offences at a home in Kaitaia.

Kupa had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Opening the Crown case yesterday, Prosecutor David Stevens said CYF placed many children with Kupa, but he physically assaulted six of them - with the youngest, a boy of 5 - by kicking them, pulling their ears, hitting them, including with a foam bat, and getting other children to hit them.

He said that while having a takeaway meal Kupa made the "naughty kids" eat grass sandwiches and gave them a plate of stones rather than food.

"He told them not to tell anybody as 'what happens in the home stays in the home'," Mr Stevens said.

Mr Stevens said two of the girls, aged 14 and 15, were sexually abused, including rape, sodomy and other sexual violations.

He said Kupa told the girls he wanted to show them "how men and women do things".

The mother of one of the alleged sexual abuse victims broke down and sobbed in the back of the court, while Mr Stevens outlined the case and she had to be helped out of the courtroom.

He said the law allowed a parent or guardian to use reasonable physical force when disciplining children, but Kupa's abuse went well beyond that, while there can be no defence of consent in relation to the sex offences.

Mr Stevens said the children were placed in Kupa's care because they were considered vulnerable by CYF and that for whatever reason, their families could not care for them at that time.

The trial continues.