Child sex offender in custody

A CONVICTED child sex offender from Auckland, arrested on the West Coast this week, had been on the run for nearly 15 days after he cut off his ankle bracelet and stole a car.

Darren Albert Jolly (52) was arrested in Westport shortly before 7am yesterday and appeared before Judge Noel Walsh in the Greymouth District Court in the afternoon.

He had been spotted in the northern Buller towns of Hector and Granity the previous weekend, and also in Westport.

Duty solicitor Richard Bodle noted both the police and the Department of Corrections had signalled their opposition to any bail application based on Jolly’s previous history of not complying with courtordered conditions, including reporting.

‘‘He’s absconded and cut his bracelet off, so they’re very concerned he wouldn’t turn up.’’

However, Jolly did not wish to apply for bail and had intimated a guilty plea to the latest charges, including unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and absconding, Mr Bodle said.

He asked that his case be transferred to the

Christchurch District Court rather than having to return to Auckland because of the travel involved, Mr Bodle said.

Jolly, who used to live in Dunedin, has more than 110 convictions for sex with underage girls, indecent sex acts, fraud, theft, assault and dangerous driving. He is subject to a 10year extended supervision order not due to expire until 2023.

West Coast police prosecutor Gul Qaisrani said police would firmly oppose bail and sought to have Jolly’s case permanently transferred back to Auckland.

Mr Qaisrani said realistically it would be at least five working days until Jolly could be returned and able to appear in Auckland.

A Community Corrections representative said they were of a like mind with the police in light of Jolly’s ‘‘risk to the community’’.

Judge Walsh said Jolly’s risk of reoffending on bail was ‘‘very high’’.

He faced fresh charges of breaching a supervision order and taking a car from Mt Wellington, in Auckland on September 24.

Judge Walsh said it was therefore appropriate Jolly be returned to Auckland, before remanding him in custody without plea to appear in the Auckland District Court on October 24. — The Greymouth Star