Mental health carer's continued sex abuse of boy in court 20 years on

Clifford Wiremu Nathan appeared in New Plymouth District Court on Thursday. Photo / Tara Shaskey

An in-home mental health carer has admitted historical sexual offending against a young boy he once regularly babysat, grooming him with gifts before subjecting him to abuse on a weekly basis.

Around 2002, Clifford Wiremu Nathan was living in Wellington where he was studying for a nursing degree.

It was while living in the capital that Nathan, now 60, met his victim's mother, the New Plymouth District Court was told on Thursday.

Nathan became trusted by the woman to babysit her then 8-year-old son, and would do so on a regular basis.

He began to buy the boy gifts and cultivated a relationship with him that would eventually lead to sexual abuse.

Nathan molested the boy at least twice a week, every week, while the victim was aged between 8 and 9.

Now in his late 20s, the victim has come forward and told police about the abuse he endured.

He told officers that at the time of the offending his mother suspected something may have been going on between Nathan and her son.

When she questioned the boy, he lied, telling his mother that nothing had happened, in an effort to protect Nathan.

Presently, the victim suffers ongoing mental and emotional health issues caused by the abuse, the summary of facts stated.

In court, Nathan pleaded guilty to two representative charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and two representative charges of indecency with a boy under 12.

The charges carry maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment and 10 years imprisonment, respectively.

The Taranaki man currently works as an in-home mental health carer but it is not known by which organisation he is employed.

Judge Jane McMeeken referred the matter to Project Restore, a restorative justice programme focused on sexual offending, and ordered a pre-sentence report.

Nathan will be sentenced on August 16.