Youth counsellor jailed indefinitely for sex offences

A man with a 30-year record of sex offences against teenagers was jailed indefinitely when he appeared for sentence in the High Court at New Plymouth today.

Peter Robert Jordan, 64, was sentenced to preventive detention with a minimum non-parole period of 12 years.

Jordan set himself up as a youth counsellor in the Taranaki town of Waitara and his offences included 15 counts of rape against three boys and other attempted violations and assaults .

He was found guilty by a jury after a week-long trial in February.

Passing sentence today, Justice Geoffrey Venning said Jordan's offences, mostly against boys, dated back to 1978.

Breaks in Jordan's offending were largely explained by time he spent in jail, Justice Venning said.

Jordan had pleaded not guilty to 38 charges.

The Crown said during his trial that Jordan preyed on vulnerable and troubled young men sometimes drugging them.

Justin Marinovich said he preyed on many of his victims, some as young as 14, at the very time they were holding their hands out for help.

Jordan claimed any sexual activity he had engaged in was consensual with people older than 16.

- NZPA