Second charge after sexual assault on girl

Photo / File

A second charge has been laid against a 20-year-old Invercargill man in relation to the sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl in the sand dunes of Invercargill's Oreti Beach earlier this month.

The man, already charged with indecent assault, has also been charged with sexually violating the girl by digital penetration.

He did not plead to either charge when he appeared before Judge Michael Turner in the Invercargill District Court on Tuesday.

His assigned counsel, Simon Claver, asked for continuation of remand in custody to Friday, and continuation of name suppression.

Mr Claver said the new charge "put the case out of his legal aid range" and he was arranging new representation for the man.

Name suppression was to protect the safety of his client's partner and children, he said.

"Intimidatory measures" had already been made against his partner and further suppression would allow matters to die down, he said.

Judge Turner said name suppression was supposed to lapse today unless detailed submissions were filed about why it should continue.

Mr Claver said it was not possible for him to file detailed submissions and he would ask the new counsel to prepare them.

The man was remanded in custody until Friday and continued name suppression was granted.