Child sex suspect: Bail near school

Photo / Brett Phibbs

A man accused of a series of sex attacks on six young girls was released on bail to live at an address near a kindergarten and primary school.

Yesterday, a judge suppressed the address at which Dion Selwyn Tau was staying for fear of a vigilante-style attack.

The concerns arose from an email sent by the grandmother of one of the complainants to an unknown number of people warning that a "paedophilie" and a "predator" had been released when he should not have been.

The email encouraged people to call their local police station to complain if they were worried.

Tau was later arrested for breaching his strict bail conditions. He was back behind bars last night, and is expected to appear in the Waitakere District Court today.

Tau was released this month on e-bail - under which he must wear an electronic monitoring device - despite strong opposition from the Crown and a criminal profile that warned he was in danger of re-offending.

The 42-year-old will stand trial next month on 17 charges, including abduction with intent to commit unlawful sexual connection, sexual violation and indecent assault.

He is also charged with burglary, theft and threatening to kill.

One charge alleges he posed as a school truancy officer and attacked a 15-year-old girl in her home.

His lawyer, Barry Hart, yesterday said the charges would be vigorously defended.

The Weekend Herald cannot identify the street or even the West Auckland suburb to which Tau was bailed because of concerns about vigilante attacks on him.

Mr Hart said the problem had been compounded by the board of trustees from a nearby school who wrote to parents making it clear that children shouldn't be near strangers.

Tau's name was published at the time of his arrest, but was suppressed after the bail hearing when the contents of the emails became known and fears were raised of an attack if his whereabouts became known.

Yesterday, Mr Hart argued in the Auckland District Court for name suppression, citing Tau's right to a fair trial and the harm that could come to him and family members staying with him.

He said there was no way of knowing how many people had received the grandmother's email.

But Crown prosecutor Scott McColgan opposed name suppression, saying the case had a public safety aspect.

"Parents have a right to be put on notice that they should be extra vigilant," he said.

Mr McColgan said it was made clear at the bail hearing what restrictions were being imposed, and the other people in the house "knowingly bought into all that follows".

Judge Graham Hubble said Tau's name and the charges against him were already in the public arena, and denied name suppression.

But he banned publication of the bail address, saying the nature of the charges against Tau meant the public could be "naturally angry".

Although he said talk of vigilante action was speculative, Judge Hubble suppressed the bail address until the end of Tau's trial in December.

Tau's release came despite a criminal profile obtained by the Crown that said he was at a high risk of reoffending.

It is believed to be the first time a criminal profile has been used by the Crown at a bail hearing in an attempt to stop a prisoner's release.

Tau had been given strict bail conditions.

They included not being allowed to leave the house except to attend court, not being allowed to be alone in the house and being forbidden access to a computer.

Females between the ages of 12 and 20 were not allowed to enter the house and police had right of entry.

Detective Sergeant Megan Goldie said police were pleased with the extra powers granted to them, but Tau's release had been a concern.

She was surprised he had been re-arrested because "we don't get too many e-bail breaches".

Tau was released after he raised concerns about his safety in prison, saying he couldn't have documents about his trial in his cell without attracting the attention of other inmates.

Dion Selwyn Tau

Age: 42.

Charges: 17 offences, including abduction, sexual violation, indecent assault, burglary, theft and threatening to kill.

Bail: Electronic bail with conditions including not leaving the house except to attend court, not being alone in the house and not having any computer access.

Yesterday: Tau back behind bars after police arrested him for breaching bail conditions.