Crash robs brothers of chance to face accused in abuse case

Photo / APN

Two brothers who allege they were sexually abused by a convicted Whangarei paedophile are "gutted" that they cannot confront the man in court after he died in a road crash last month.

Name suppression for Bruce Pullman lapsed last week when his case was called in the Whangarei District Court.

Pullman died in Whangarei Hospital on his 79th birthday and nine days after a crash on a rural road east of Whangarei on October 2.

He was to have appeared in the Whangarei District Court days after the crash for legal arguments and again last week for a trial date to be set.

He was facing 21 charges relating to unlawful sexual connection and indecent assaults on three men, including brothers, who were all aged under 16 when the alleged offending occurred.

Pullman was sentenced to one year and nine months in jail in 1997 on four charges of indecent assault on another boy over several years in the late 1980s.

Pullman's widow, Mary, said her husband had intended to defend the latest charges and had a vigorous defence.

Mrs Pullman said her husband's death denied him the chance to prove his innocence.

The younger of the two brothers said he felt cheated of his chance to confront Pullman in court.

He urged any victims of sexual abuse, no matter how long ago it happened, to seek help.

The other brother said Pullman's death had robbed him of the chance to go through the courts and go "fully public".

The man, now living in Australia, said the effect on his life was far-reaching.

He was "a mess" at high school and quit early.

He also had severe mood swings and anger problems and this year was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The brothers' parents learned of the alleged abuse after Pullman was jailed. They were devastated and it was only after both had died that the younger brother decided to go to police.

The older brother then followed suit.

- APN