Supervision order on paedophile

The High Court has imposed a 10-year extended supervision order on a Waikato sex offender who is considered to be at "medium to high" risk of committing further offences against children.

Kaxan Chaine Muraahi was jailed in November 1999 for sex crimes against 13 victims aged from 3 to 15.

He was released in January 2007, but was recalled to continue serving his sentence after "lapses" in his behaviour.

He is now scheduled to be released in June.

Just before Christmas, the Department of Corrections went to the High Court in Wellington seeking an extended 10-year supervision order, which was granted by Justice Alan MacKenzie.

Muraahi did not oppose it.

A comprehensive Corrections psychological report said Muraahi "might offend against male and female prepubescent children or adolescents".

The report said that "lapses such as were experienced on the first period of release will significantly impact on his ability to inhibit sexual impulses".

Justice MacKenzie did not specify what those lapses were.

A Corrections department spokesman said that Muraahi had been recalled after his previous release for breaching parole conditions but would not give further details.

The judge said the psychologist noted Muraahi had an "extensive and prolonged period of offending when he demonstrated a high predilection and proclivity for sexual offending against children".

Significant and sustained behavioural change was suggested as the only reliable measure of an absence of such predilection.

Justice MacKenzie said the report noted Muraahi had demonstrated an understanding of the factors that led him to offend and had shown remorse for his actions.

The report said that the effect of his own sexual abuse was significant and that Muraahi had not had counselling to deal with his own experiences.

It also noted the earlier unsuccessful release and said that Muraahi was "now with reduced support in the community and without a safety plan", Justice MacKenzie said.

- NZPA