Fury as sex pest gets bail again

Children’s rights activists are outraged following the third arrest and release on bail of a prominent George dentist convicted of sex crimes involving a young boy, but now facing a similar charge in the Thembalethu Regional Court.

Ian Venter, 45, was arrested on Monday after he allegedly contravened the conditions of his sentence. In December 2014, the father of three was sentenced to four years’ house arrest following his conviction of sex with a minor boy.

One of the conditions was that he was not allowed to work with children, but he was allegedly treating children at his dental practice. He was arrested but granted R5 000 bail in the George Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. On June 9, he is due in the Thembalethu Regional Court for allegedly sexually assaulting a boy, 12, during a sleepover at his Herolds Bay home in 2015.