Youth worker charged
A former Auckland youth centre worker has been charged with indecently assaulting a female aged 12 to 16, police say.
A police spokesperson said the 22-year-old man faced two charges of sexual connection with a young person, one charge of indecently assaulting a female aged 12 to 16 and three charges of indecent communication with a young person.
The charges were in relation to the man allegedly forcing a 12-year-old girl to perform sex acts, police said.
The man is due to appear in the Auckland District Court on December 6.
On July 21 the girl’s mother said she received a phone call from the after school care centre, saying there had been an incident involving inappropriate texts between a youth worker and her daughter.
Messages, pictures and videos were found on the girl’s phone of the man performing sex acts, the mother said.
The victim was allegedly forced to perform oral sex and masturbate the man, she said.
The mother said the youth worker ‘‘groomed and ‘‘manipulated’’ her daughter.
An internal investigation had been conducted by the afterschool care provider since the incident.
A staff member confirmed the youth worker was no longer with the organisation and all staff underwent background checks and were police vetted before starting employment.