‘Public need to know who he is and what he did’

A recidivist child sex offender has been freed on parole with a new name and identity and wants privacy — but the family of her victims say the community has a right to know who and where she is.

The offender, 33, who was sentenced under the birth name Rory Francis, served six-and-a-half years in prison for a raft of sex crimes against two young children over three years.

Francis had been diagnosed as HIV positive before the offending, which came after an earlier jail term for sexually assaulting a 7-year-old boy.

Francis now identifies as a female and has changed her name to Laken McKay. She was freed in May and is now living in Auckland.

The family of her most recent victims contacted the Herald after she was released, concerned her new identity meant the community was not aware of her past offending.

The father of the victims said the public “had a right to know” about McKay, particularly given she was a repeat offender.

“I don’t think he should be getting out at all,” said the father, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

“I was pretty disgusted when found out.”

The father believed McKay had no right to privacy: “The community need to know who he is, how can anyone be aware of him and what he has done if they have no idea of his new name?” I

The family refer to McKay as “he” because it was as a man, Rory Francis, that he offended against the children.

They acknowledge McKay’s change of gender.

In December 2010 McKay, then known as Francis, was jailed for nine years and four months after admitting a raft of sexual offences against two children over a three-year period.

Francis pleaded guilty to 13 charges relating to a girl under 12 including rape, sexual violation and sexual conduct with a child.

He also pleaded guilty to five charges of sexual conduct with a child — a boy under 12.

At his sentencing in December 2010 Justice Patrick Keane described Francis’ offending as “invasive, damaging and, on occasions, extremely degrading”.

At sentencing in the High Court at Auckland it was revealed that it was not the first time Francis had been convicted of child sex offending.

In 2005 he sexually abused a 7-year-old boy and was sentenced to 15 months in jail as a result.

The Herald spoke to McKay this week.

Initially she said she did not want to speak and wanted to “get on with my new life”.

She said publishing her new name would “ruin her” and the progress she had made.

She then contacted the Herald phone and asked for privacy.

“I’ve turned my life around,” she said. “I’ve done my time, it’s like I’m being punished again . . . you’re really going to sink me.”

McKay said she was not a danger to the public and there was no need to publish her new identity, regardless of what her victims’ family thought. “I’ve been reformed.”

She refused to comment further when asked.

Police and Corrections are aware of McKay’s identity change and she is being monitored as per her parole conditions. by