Rugby coach guilty of sex charges

An Auckland junior rugby coach has been found guilty of 95 sex abuse charges against 17 boys over three decades.

Alosio Taimo faced 106 charges, including indecent assault and sexual violation, and has been on trial in the High Court at Auckland for the past nine weeks.

Yesterday, after two days of deliberation, the jury delivered unanimous verdicts, finding Taimo guilty of 95 charges. He was also found not guilty of 11 more, including some relating to one complainant.

During the trial, the court has heard how the rugby coach was ‘‘possessive’’ and ‘‘controlling’’ towards his victims.

Taimo appeared emotionless as the verdicts were read out by the jury foreman, as he has throughout the trial.

Taimo’s daughter stood at the back of the court and was visibly upset as she held her young daughter.

Justice Simon Moore thanked the jury for their service in the ‘‘long and harrowing trial’’ and excused them from jury service for seven years.

When Taimo took the stand to give evidence, he simply stated ‘‘that never happened’’ to every charge put to him.

Taimo originally faced 83 charges, however when name suppression was lifted and media reported on the alleged offending, more complainants came forward, bringing the total charges to 106.

Crown prosecutor Jasper Rhodes argued Taimo frequently and repeatedly sexually abused 18 young boys between 1987 and 2016, one as young as 9-years-old.

Over the past three decades, Taimo – a once respected member of the Samoan community, teacher aide and rugby coach – touched the young boys, sexually violated them and induced them to touch him or perform sexual acts on him.

One victim, who was abused by Taimo in the 1990s, said he cried himself to sleep after Taimo touched him inappropriately.

‘‘I was too scared to say anything to him ... you’re more in shock ... you’re just helpless.’’

Taimo will be sentenced on December 14 and is likely to face a lengthy prison sentence. He was given his first strike under the three strike warning.