Immigrant employed sex offender in US, says Peters

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told Parliament yesterday that United States immigrant and Auckland bookstore owner Jim Peron had his San Francisco shop raided by police in 1987 because he employed a sex offender.

That was despite Mr Peron having said on Radio New Zealand yesterday that he had never been arrested or investigated for anything.

Mr Peters said one of Mr Peron's employees was jailed for 16 years for child molestation.

The MP first raised the case on Wednesday, saying that Act leader Rodney Hide had supported Mr Peron's business application to live in New Zealand and was a board member of his Institute of Liberal Values.

Mr Peters accused Mr Peron of being linked to the North America Man Boy Love Association, of being a paedophile, and of dealing in pornography.

Mr Peron has admitted allowing the association to use his bookshop for meetings and to stock its newsletter. But he said he became uncomfortable about it and asked the group to move on.

He also has an "adult" section of videos and DVDs in his Symonds St bookshop.

Yesterday, Mr Peters turned to the issue of police clearance for immigration applicants, asking Immigration Minister Paul Swain if he was concerned that Mr Peron, who had said he had never been investigated by police, "had his shop raided in San Francisco because he employed a sex offender, and a serious one at that, and stocked publications about men having sex with boys as young as 8 years of age".

Mr Swain told Parliament yesterday he was advised that Mr Peron had received police clearances from both the United States and South African police.

Mr Peron's original application under the "employees of relocating businesses" category was declined because the bookstore did not meet New Zealand business definitions.

He appealed and the decision was overturned by the Residence Appeal Authority.

But Mr Peron withdrew that application and reapplied under the long-term business visa category.

It was approved on December 20, 2002. It is a three-year work permit. He is not a permanent resident as reported yesterday.

Mr Peron told the Herald last night that he had not been connected with the raid in any way.

"A part-time employee and a friend of his were arrested, not me."

Both their places of employment had been searched for evidence.

The employee admitted a charge of having sex with a teenager.

"I was never under any impression that I was being investigated for anything and certainly never had any charges filed against me."

Mr Hide said he did not know Mr Peron extremely well, but considered him a friend and had visited his store about six times.

He said he had spoken at a liberal perspective summit Mr Peron had held.