Bailed sex accused lives by child centre

A man accused of serious child-sex offences is on bail - with a 24-hour curfew - and living over the road from a Whangarei preschool centre.

But the man, William Hayworth Esling, has denied the charges and says he has lived quietly at his address for five years, is no threat to anybody and wants to be left in peace.

Regent Preschool owner Sam Capstick said it had to be assumed the man was innocent until proven guilty.

But she questioned whether it was appropriate for a person facing such serious charges to be on bail close to a preschool and churches attended by dozens of children on Sundays.

Esling, 59, has been granted bail, with strict conditions, despite opposition from the police.

He will appear in the Whangarei District Court on August 9 for a depositions hearing on three charges of having intercourse with a 13-year-old boy between January 1 and March 10 this year.

Under his bail terms he must abide by a 24-hour curfew, unless at work or visiting his lawyer; has had to surrender his passport; has been banned from associating with boys aged under 16; and must not go within 100m of public toilets.

Whangarei MP Phil Heatley is outraged the man is living so close to a preschool and is alarmed the court knew that when granting him bail.

He said he would raise the issue in Parliament this week.

Ms Capstick said she wanted to know why she was not told the man was living in the street.

She also wanted to know what was being done to monitor him.

Police confirmed they visited the man at least once a day to check that he was complying with his bail conditions.

Said Ms Capstick: "I've notified all the parents of the children here about this and they, and the staff, are fully supportive of me going public about my concerns.

"We are not saying this man is guilty of anything.

"But I don't think it is appropriate that somebody with those serious allegations against him is at home 24 hours a day while there are all these children so close by."
She said the matter was raised with her last week by a parent and she was angry nobody in authority had "had the decency" to tell her earlier.

"I think the police had a responsibility to tell us, considering the type of business I run.

"If somebody was suspected of being an alcoholic you wouldn't let them live in a pub," she said.

"Over the road from a preschool is not the right place for somebody with these sorts of allegations against them."

Esling said he had lived in the area for more than five years, had caused no problems for anybody in that time and had lived "as quiet as a mouse".

He said he was innocent of the charges and had been "set up".

He would vigorously defend the charges and was confident of being found not guilty.

"I'm no threat to anybody and they don't have anything to be worried about from me," he said.

Mr Heatley said it would be another two months before a depositions hearing of the case was held, then up to another six months before the matter went to trial.

He said Esling had the presumption of innocence, but the courts should always err on the side of caution when looking at bail and should move the man to another address or his court date should be brought forward.

- NZPA