Sex offender assaulted by vigilante

A friend of a sexual assault victim took the law into his own hands to try to make the offender leave town.

Anthony Murray Yorke, 61, appeared in the Nelson District Court yesterday, where he pleaded guilty to charges of assault and willful damage.

Yorke’s victim was a man who had previously been sentenced for sexual assault, with the woman victim being a close friend of Yorke.

Yorke confronted the man on three occasions. The first encounter took place on September 25 at a church in Halifax St, Nelson, when Yorke told the man he was a rapist and needed to leave town. He then punched him twice in the head.

On October 5 and 6, Yorke found the victim at a night shelter in Nelson and again told him to leave the city. Losing his temper, he caused damage to a wall and a cat door.

Defence lawyer Hannah Cuthill said Yorke accepted he had taken matters into his own hands, but he had become very frustrated with the legal process.

Cuthill said the man Yorke attacked had served a two-year prison sentence for sexual assault. The woman he had assaulted was reportedly so anxious about his release from prison, she would not even go to the supermarket without being escorted by a friend.

Judge Richard Russell said that while he understood Yorke was angry and upset, there was no excuse for him to take the law into his own hands.

‘‘A sentence has already been imposed – it is not up to you to mete out any kind of vigilante justice.

‘‘If you meet him again, just turn and walk away – do not offend again.’’

On the assault charge, Judge Russell convicted Yorke and ordered him to come up for sentencing within 12 months if he offended again. On the charges of wilful damage, Yorke was fined $200.