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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
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A primary school
teacher is facing a fourth charge of indecently assaulting a girl under 12. Michael Warren Neville,
47, lives in Levin but taught on the He was arrested on
September 23 and charged with indecently assaulting three girls, all former
pupils aged under 12, between January 1999 and August this year. Detective Sergeant
Peter Govers of Levin police said yesterday that
the fourth charge was laid after a call to an 0800 number that police had set
up for the case. Mr Govers
said the latest girl to complain, also a former pupil of Neville, alleged
that he had indecently assaulted her "during class time during the year
2001". He said that, since the
hotline was opened on October 9, it had received fewer than 10 calls, including
some from people who supported Neville. "We are still
conducting inquiries as the result of calls made." Parents with any
concerns regarding Neville could contact 0800 555 700, supply their contact
details, and a member of the investigation team would contact them. Neville, who has
indicated he intends to defend the charges, lost interim name suppression on
October 8, but the name of the school where he taught remains suppressed. In lifting name
suppression, Judge Gregory Ross said doing so might encourage "potential
claimants" to come forward. Neville had been
teaching for eight years. Bail conditions prevent
him visiting the school where he worked and from engaging in
"unsupervised contact" with girls under 14. He is due to reappear
in Levin District Court for a pre-depositions conference on November 5. |
