Home detention for pastor

Former Kaitaia Family Church pastor Eric Clifford Reid was last week sentenced to nine months' home detention for what one of his victims called a "disturbing and disgusting habit" of taking photos up women's skirts.

Reid appeared before Judge Duncan Harvey in the District Court at Kaikohe on Friday for sentencing on 25 admitted charges of making an intimate visual recording and 24 of possessing intimate visual recordings. The offences occurred over eight months in 2011-12.

All charges but one related to a woman who attended the same church and had known Reid for many years. The last related to a 16-year-old girl.

The photos were taken with an iPhone up the victims' skirts and through a hole in an office wall. They were uncovered by a forensic examination of Reid's computer after someone saw him taking pictures and alerted police.

Reading from a statement written by the primary victim, prosecutor Moana Jarman-Taylor said Reid "used trust as a cover for a disturbing and disgusting habit".

The victim had had to leave her job of many years, felt stressed and "jumpy," and had lost confidence and trust.

The teenage victim said she felt shocked and disgusted and no longer trusted older men.

Counsel Steve Nicholson said his client had previously led an unblemished life but for a period of several months had "lost his common sense".

Judge Harvey said Reid's sentence had to be a deterrent, "particularly as there is now a proliferation of smartphones not only with the ability to take photos of this type, but also to distribute them."

The primary victim had also been "enormously upset" by rumours spread in Kaitaia that she had made up the allegations. Now Reid had pleaded guilty, they would know she was not a liar.

Considering Reid's previous good character, remorse and the treatment he was already undertaking, Judge Harvey arrived at a sentence of nine months' home detention.

Conditions included that Reid not be allowed to possess any recording device such as a cell phone, computer or camera without his probation officer's consent.

The judge also noted Reid's offending had cost him his job and his status.

"You have lost your respected position in the community. You are now a person who is looked upon with some scorn and disgust," he said.

Reid arrived at the court early, parked in The Warehouse carpark and darted through bushes to a side entrance in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid a television camera. During sentencing he stood with his head bowed and turned away from the public gallery.