By REBECCA WALSH, education reporter
The former head of religious studies at Auckland's Hato Petera College, Kaperiere Petera Leef, has been named as the HIV-positive man charged with indecently assaulting male students.
The school believes the lifting of the man's name suppression by the High Court at Auckland today will make it easier for any worried students or parents to come forward. An 0800 helpline operating for the past two weeks has received an average of six calls a day.
Leef, aged 44, faces 20 charges - 18 of indecent assault, one of unlawful sexual connection and one of attempted unlawful sexual connection. They relate to incidents between July 1999 and November 2000 allegedly concerning six boys, aged between 13 and 15 years.
Leef, who also taught Maori, had been at the school since 1996. He was dismissed on November 9 this year.
Leef had appealed against a decision by District Court Judge Stan Thorburn last week that name suppression should be lifted. Overturning the appeal, Justice Hugh Williams said it was a balancing act between the openness of justice and the right to a fair trial.
Justice Williams warned the media about placing "undue emphasis" on Leef's HIV status as it was likely to be irrelevant and inadmissible at trial - although no final decision could or should be made on its admissibility at this stage.
Leef's lawyer, Ron Mansfield, said his client was disappointed by the decision.
Outside the court, Willie Te Aho, chairman of the whanau care committee established by the school's board of trustees and the Catholic Diocese of Auckland, said the school was happy name suppression had been lifted.
"It allows any other concerns, if there are any, to come forward. We are open with nothing to hide."
The school had set up the helpline (0800 002-785), and a support team of health and HIV education specialists had been at the school for the past two weeks.
Kevin Hague, executive director of the Aids foundation, which has been providing support to the school, said only one of the charges faced by Leef involved the slight risk of HIV transmission.
Mr Mansfield had argued that publication of Leef's name would prejudice his right to a fair trial, given the amount of media publicity there had been regarding his HIV status.
School glad HIV teacher named
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