Plea for forgiveness as man convicted of sex offences

A CENTRAL Otago man convicted of a raft of sexual offences against two young girls asked his partner for forgiveness when he appeared in court yesterday.

The man, who has name suppression, admitted three charges of doing an indecent act and five of sexual violation on the girls, who were aged between 3 and 11 at the time of the offending.

He also admitted a charge of possessing an objectionable publication: a video depicting sexual activity with a child.

The offending occurred between 2017 and last month.

Appearing in the Queenstown District Court by video link from Invercargill Prison, he was convicted by Judge Alison McLeod and remanded in custody until his next hearing on January 12 in the Invercargill District Court. A date for sentencing will be set then.

Before leaving the video booth he called out ‘‘Sorry [partner’s name], forgive me. I know you’re there.’’