We're no paedophile paradise, say Scouts

Scouting New Zealand is promising to review recruitment practices in the wake of claims the organisation has become "a paedophile's paradise".

The criticism follows the case of two former Auckland scout leaders who pleaded guilty a week ago to a series of indecencies and sexual violations committed over the past three years against two boys aged between 11 and 13.

Andrew John Pybus, 32, and a 48-year-old man who has name suppression, met their victims through the movement, and committed their abuses at Scout dens, scouting events, and non-scouting venues.

Act MP Deborah Coddington, a fervent anti-paedophile campaigner, labelled the organisation a paedophile's paradise and said Scouts gave sex offenders easy access to children while in a position of trust.

Scouting NZ's offer to provide the recent victims and their families with counselling was inadequate, said Ms Coddington, and a full inquiry should be launched "to make sure there are no more ratbags in there".

"They need to be a hell of a lot more vigilant, otherwise they're just going to end up with nobody sending their kids to Scouts."

Christchurch detective Chris Powers, who investigated abuses within Scouts, said paedophiles infiltrated youth organisations, and vetting procedures which relied on police and reference checks were insufficient.

He said potential paedophiles might not have criminal records, and if asked to provide referees, they could simply nominate friends.

Scouting NZ this week defended its screening system for leaders, but also promised to review its recruitment procedures. Chief executive Geoff Knighton said Scouts was an "open organisation" and incidents of abuse were very rare.

"This is appalling and we don't condone any of it," he said. "It's incredibly damaging to young people and to the leaders of young people who are currently involved."

Scouting was not a "nest of inappropriate people".

Pybus and the 48-year-old are due in the High Court in February for sentencing. A third former scout leader, aged 70, will appear in court on Christmas Eve on a charge of possessing objectionable material.

Last week, police revealed fresh information about the abuse case, which they said is an ongoing investigation.

They said Pybus and the 48-year-old initially offended separately before they recognised a "common interest" and began to abuse their two victims together.

Several of the charges against the pair involved them photographing indecent acts committed against their victims. Police seized a digital camera from Pybus and a computer with 35 discs containing 61,000 picture files.

Several other computers also seized were being forensically examined and could provide further information. Police said they still had an open mind about the possible existence of a wider paedophile network.

- Additional reporting by Sarah Catherall