No pleas entered to sex charges

A 65-year-old Far North man was remanded on bail without plea when he appeared before Judge Murray Hunt in the Kaitaia District Court last week on one charge of raping a female under the age of 12 years and two of indecently assaulting the same victim. The allegations date back to 2009.

He will appear again on October 15, Judge Hunt telling him that pleas would be required on that date, and that the issue of name suppression would also be re-visited.

Interim name suppression was granted to the defendant, who represented himself, and the victim.

Police had no opposition to bail, but the defendant argued briefly against an order to surrender his passport. He had not been convicted of anything, he said, and was no danger to anyone in New Zealand or overseas.

He was ordered to surrender his passport by 4pm the following day, having asked for time to find it.