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The Evening Post
June 27 1996
Sex offenders book out
by Tom Cardy
Check List
* The book lists, in alphabetical order, around 600 people (mainly men) convicted
of sexual crimes. It gives a brief summary of the crime, along with their
occupation, age and the city they lived in when convicted.
* The names are also listed under occupations, including babysitting,
caregiving, teaching, the clergy, Scouts and computer clubs. About 100 live
in the Wellington region.
* Included are high profile convictions, such as Christchurch Civic Creche
worker Peter Ellis, Centrepoint guru Bert Potter and Peter Mwai, who had
unprotected sex with five women while he was HIV positive.
* It costs $24.95 and will appear on shelves shrink-wrapped.
Some schools are likely to use a register of paedophiles and sex offenders
released today to vet staff, says the New Zealand School Trustees
Association.
The 1996 Paedophile and Sex Offender Index, written by journalist Deborah
Coddington, is out today. It lists over 600 New Zealanders convicted of sex
crimes since 1991 and whose names were not suppressed.
Trustees association president Mark Farnsworth said school boards were always
concerned with protecting children, so he expected some boards would use the
book to screen staff or people involved with the school.
Mr Farnsworth said boards should be wary of making a decision based solely on
a person being listed in a commercial publication.
Scout Association of New Zealand national secretary Fred Moselen said it
would definitely buy at least one copy.
The book listed four former Scout and Boys Brigade leaders, including two in
the Wellington area convicted of molesting boys.
"We owe it to parents to take every care. We have to use all the tools
available," he said.
Detective sergeant Brent Tomlinson of Wellington police's child abuse team
said he would check the book, but believed it would only be of limited use.
"I'm not saying it's of no value, but it will be limited. It only lists
information that is of public record. A good police check will find those
convictions," he said. "(But) lots of other people are convicted
and have their names suppressed."
Mr Tomlinson believed the book's possible uses were still unknown.
"Until it's published and people see what's in it, no one really knows
how it will be used."
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