The mother of a girl indecently assaulted in her bedroom by a gym instructor is outraged a judge believes there is no evidence the offending was sexually motivated.
The gym instructor, Ross Madden, maintains he was being "playful" when he crept into the girl's bedroom three times, removed some of her clothing, and touched her partially naked body.
Madden, 35, from Otumoetai, who pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent assault on a female under 12, was on Tuesday sentenced in the Tauranga District Court to 12 months' home detention, 200 hours of community work and ordered to pay $5000 reparation.
The crime happened last year while he was babysitting.
But the victim's mother is furious Judge Thomas Ingram said during sentencing he was not satisfied there was "compelling, objective" evidence Madden's conduct had been sexually motivated.