A Northland man facing a raft of sexual assault charges on young children has been released on bail near a school.
Hirini Heta earlier pleaded not guilty to 44 counts of assault and sexual connection dating back from 2004 to April this year.
The 55-year-old appeared in the Whangarei District Court today where he was granted electronically monitored bail in Papakura.
Police opposed releasing Heta because of the close proximity to a school and the risk of him contacting complainants via the internet.
But Judge McDonald took into account an ongoing medical condition and imposed that he not been in the company or talk to anyone under the age of 18.
