News blackout on youth, 17, jailed for molesting boy

A judge has taken the unusual step of suppressing almost all the details of a sex offender's sentencing in the Christchurch District Court.

Crown prosecutor Jane Farish and defence counsel Colin Eason pressed for the final suppression, which was granted by Judge Murray Abbott at the sentencing of a 17-year-old youth.

The youth had earlier pleaded guilty to a representative charge of sexually violating a boy by digital penetration, and a charge of sexually violating him by oral sex.

The charges state the offences took place in Christchurch early last year.

Judge Abbott jailed the offender, whose case had been sent from the Youth Court to be dealt with in the District Court, for three years and nine months.

His name was suppressed with all details of the case, apart from the charges, guilty pleas and sentence.

The order means that the details of the offences cannot be published, nor the submissions by the Crown and defence, and none of the judge's sentencing remarks. The reasons for the suppression are also secret.

- NZPA