Victims and their families crowded into courtroom one in Whanganui yesterday for the sentencing of a man who molested seven girls aged between 4 and 14.
An atmosphere of nervous anticipation in the gallery quickly turned to one of disgust as Daniel Bell was brought into the dock.
It was not long before many people in the group of about 20 were clutching tissues or pressing their hands to their mouths to hold back sobs.
Bell was found guilty in September last year of 13 sexual offences against children.
Following three days of deliberating, the jury of five men and seven women declared 39-year-old Bell guilty of a raft of indecency charges against six young girls, and not guilty on 10 counts of raping a child. He was also found not guilty of two indecent acts, two unlawful sexual connections, and one indecent assault.