Dunedin repeat sex offender refused parole until 'sexual deviancy and compulsivity' properly treated

Senior Journalist - crime and justice·NZ Herald·

21 Oct, 2020 10:10 PM4 mins to read

Alex Aleti Seu. Photo / Otago Daily Times

A Dunedin sex offender who attacked and violated a drunk pub goer as he walked home after a night out has been refused parole due to a lack of treatment for sexual deviancy and compulsivity.

Alex Aleti Seu also indecently assaulted two male flatmates while on bail for the sexual violation offences.

In March 2015 Seu, who identifies as a woman, was jailed for six years and nine months after admitting a number of charges involving unlawful sexual connection with a male over 16, indecent assault and assault with intent to commit sexual violation.

She was ordered to serve a minimum period of four years.

She became eligible for parole in October but was refused an early release from prison because she has not had any treatment behind bars.

In June 2016 Seu followed the first victim from a bar in the Octagon in central Dunedin.

There she attacked him, dragging him into an alleyway, throwing him into a brick wall, stunning him in the process.

Seu pulled the victim's pants down and sexually violated him, before the victim was able to escape momentarily.

But Seu pursued the victim and forced him down in the grounds of a church.

There she again pulled the victim's pants down and sexually violated him.

The man struggled, but Seu grabbed hold of him and said: "come back here", the court
heard.

The victim suffered rectal injuries as a result of the attack as well as suffering from "severe psychological" impacts.

Seu was arrested and charged over the attack.

She appeared in court and was released on bail.

In August 2016 while on bail, Seu indecently assaulted two of his male flatmates - groping them and pushing her backside into their groins.

Seu pleaded guilty to the offending but at sentencing the court heard she had "considered the encounter consensual until [she] read the victim impact statement".

A pre-sentence report assessed Seu as potentially being a high-risk of reoffending.

The Parole Board said that was still the case when it saw Seu for the first time on October 15.

"The Parole Assessment Report comments on Ms Seu's sexual deviant lifestyle and her sexual compulsivity," said the board panel convenor Judge Charles Blackie.

"At this time, she is untreated.

"The recommendation is that she undergo individual treatment with a psychologist. It is set as high priority."

Judge Blackie revealed that Seu had also been in trouble in prison.

"During the course of her sentence, Ms Seu has transited between the Auckland prison and the Tongariro Prison," he said.

"Unfortunately, while at Tongariro she incurred a number of misconducts as a result of her sexual orientation and was returned to Auckland."

She is now classified as a high security prisoner.

"Clearly, having regard to the nature of Ms Seu's offending, she would not be considered suitable for the standard Adult Sex Offender Treatment," Judge Blackie said.

"Hence the recommendation for one-to-one treatment with a psychologist.

"Clearly, as Ms Seu remains an untreated prisoner she is unsuitable for release on parole at this time.

"She has to be considered an undue risk to the community."

Judge Blackie said the board would see Seu again by the end of October next year.

"By which time it anticipates receiving a comprehensive psychological report commenting on treatment completed to date, further treatment required, current risk, further comment on release proposals and safety plan.

"With regard to release proposals, they are currently in their infancy."