Further charges possible for CEO

The chief executive of a Christchurch-based company facing 50 sex charges, including filming himself sexually violating a child, may face further unrelated charges.

The man, aged in his 50s, appeared in the Christchurch District Court yesterday via audio visual link.

Court documents allege that on a single day in June he repeatedly sexually violated and performed indecent acts on a girl aged under 10. The sexual violation charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment. The man is also charged with creating numerous objectionable videos.

Yesterday Crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh asked for the case to be adjourned for a further six to eight weeks as the number of charges before the court was likely to be refined.

Police were continuing to search through material seized on the man’s computer, and Zarifeh said there may well be further unrelated charges or an expansion to the current charges.

He asked for the interim suppression orders to continue.

Judge Warren Cathcart said the man’s earlier lawyer had withdrawn as the man wished to represent himself.

The man told the court his circumstances had changed and he could no longer afford the lawyer, and was told in an interview with police he may not be eligible for legal aid.

Judge Cathcart said the man ‘‘undoubtedly faces very serious allegations’’. He said given the ‘‘magnitude’’ of the allegations and the issues likely to arise, he urged the man to find out whether he was eligible for legal aid.

He continued an interim suppression order protecting the man’s identity and that of his company, and remanded him in custody until September 20.