Allegations of Sexual Abuse in NZ
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	Cases - 2007
	Waikato Times April 5 2007 Paedophile on rape charge after fathering child by Belinda Feek A convicted Waikato paedophile was due to appear in the Hamilton District Court today charged with raping a pre-teen who has since had his baby. The man had been in a relationship with the girl's mother, and has fathered a child with her as well. The Waikato Times understands the man handed himself in to police yesterday after learning the extended family was talking to the paper about their frustration that he had not faced charges. Police yesterday confirmed the man was charged with sexual violation by rape of a girl under 12. A male relative of the girl, who the paper cannot name because of restrictions on identifying sex-attack victims, was ecstatic charges had been laid. The family had laid a complaint some time ago but there had been no resolution. "I've been waiting to see if anything was going to happen and obviously nothing is going to happen," he said earlier this week. But yesterday he said: "It's fantastic. After years on the run, justice will be done." He conceded the start of the police investigation had been hampered by the girl and her mother making a false claim of rape to police in a bid to protect the paedophile. By the time the mother told the truth to police, the man had fled. Another relative said she became worried as soon as the mother formed a relationship with the man. "The more we said anything to her, the more she kept going out with him," the woman relative said. "It was only afterwards, after what happened to (the girl). She (the mother) was in denial and didn't believe it." Once the girl gave birth, the mother agreed to give police a statement, the relative said. The girl was now doing well in school, gaining high grades and having counselling, she said. The relative said she would like to see the man behind bars. "I wouldn't mind him sitting in jail knowing he couldn't hurt anyone else." The girl's mother confirmed she had been in a relationship with the man for some years before he took off. However, when questioned further she declined comment, saying the matter had nothing to do with her extended family. "Me and my children have moved on now." Police communications manager Kris McGehan said police had been investigating the case but it had been hampered by family cover-ups as to who the father of the girl's child was. "Police were initially told by the girl that she had been raped by a stranger and her family maintained that story for many months," she said. "The allegation was investigated, but the girl's story did not stack up and there was no evidence to support her claims."