Man arrested over three South Auckland sex attacks

File photo / NZ Herald

A 25-year-old Otara man has been arrested following three sexual assaults over the past few months in the South Auckland suburb.

The man arrested this week is facing charges of sexual violation, abduction and indecent assault relating to three separate incidents involving three different women on July 3, July 7 and September 22, all in Otara.

He appeared in the Manukau District Court yesterday and has been remanded in custody until November 9.

"All of these incidents occurred in the Otara area and the victims are Pacific and Maori women aged over the age of 17 years," Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Glossop said.

"The women all allege to have been approached and then followed by the man in his car as they walked along the street, all in the Hills Road area of Otara. The man has got out of his vehicle and pursued them on foot and sexually assaulted them."

"We have reason to believe there are other victims out there and we would urgently like to hear from any members of the public who have been approached by the man or witnessed him approaching others. The man had been living in the area of Mangere prior to January of this year so it's possible he has offended in this area too."

The man is Samoan, of medium to stocky build and approximately 175cm tall. He has a strong Samoan accent, bushy black hair, a goatee and long sideburns.

He sports a Samoan design tattoo on the top of his left arm and a tattoo with Chinese symbols on his outer left forearm.

Police have stressed this is not the man who was recently released from prison and is the subject of recent community meetings in the Otara area.

- HERALD ONLINE