Alleged sex offender accused of bail breaches

A man facing a long list of under-age sex charges has ended up back in custody after allegedly breaching his electronically monitored bail four times.

Police said in the Christchurch District Court today that 34-year-old Clement Wilkinson had been given permission to attend counselling sessions during September and had left his address. However, he had not attended any of them.

Defence counsel Lee-Lee Heah said Wilkinson had been stressed and had left the home detention address in Hillsborough to get some exercise to help "unstress".

Wilkinson was granted bail soon after his arrest but was then held in custody when the police alleged they had uncovered further offending.

He now faces 10 charges of having sexual connection with a young person aged between 12 and 16 years, eight charges of possessing objectionable publications, three of receiving stolen property, and four of meeting a young person after sexual grooming.

The grooming charges involved meeting girls after contacting them on social networking sites.

The alleged offending involves three girls aged 13, 14, and 15 years.

When he was released on electronically monitored bail on July 28, Judge Noel Walsh told him: "You would be an absolute fool to go anywhere near a computer."

He also warned Wilkinson: "Do not put a foot wrong, otherwise you will be locked up out at Rolleston until matters are completed."

Police prosecutor Sergeant Anson Williams today reminded Judge Erber of Judge Walsh's warning, and reiterated the police's continuing opposition to Wilkinson being granted bail. He said the police had always been concerned there was no means of monitoring Wilkinson's online activity.

Judge Erber refused to release Wilkinson again and remanded him in custody to October 1.

"I would be completely failing in my duty to protect the public if I were to grant electronically monitored bail, given that you have breached it on four occasions," the judge said.

- NZPA