The man known as the "Port Hills Groper" has been sentenced to 300 hours community work over eight counts of indecent assault.
Appearing in the Christchurch District Court this afternoon, the 64-year-old was also placed under 12 months of supervision with the condition he undertake any counselling recommended by probation officers.
The man preyed on eight women exercising in Christchurch's Port Hills between 2010 and 2012, laying in wait before kissing and licking them, and groping at their breasts.
Judge Jane Farish described the man's offending as "bizarre" but granted him permanent name suppression today.
She noted some of the Middle Eastern man's offending may have been a result of "cultural ambiguity" but also highlighted the harm it had caused his victims.
"All of the women who were touched all reported they felt frightened, shocked or repulsed by your touching them," she said.
"Some of them have become hyper vigilant, some of them have stayed away from walking on the hills."
The decision over suppression was difficult, Judge Farish said, as a balance had to found between informing the community and protecting the offender's innocent family.
They were a key part of the local ethnic community, she noted, and publication of his name could see the family shunned into isolation.
"There is a real tension between the public knowing your identity and the ostracism of your family from a community that they are very dependent on," she said.
"But I am of the view that incalculable harm would be caused to your family if I was to publish your name."
The accused's wife had already suffered racial attacks, Judge Farish noted.
The man admitted eight counts of indecent assault at a hearing last November, dodging another eight charges initially laid by police.
Prosecutors withdrew six charges of indecent assault, saying they were not "inherently indecent", and announced they would not be pursuing another two.
The accused, who cannot speak English and uses an interpreter at court, put the offending down to a "cultural" misunderstanding, saying he was trying to be "friendly" around Christmas time.
Police documents show he lay in wait on several tracks across the Port Hills, preying on woman walking and jogging by.
On one occasion he called out to a woman jogging on the Rapaki Track and, when she slowed down to listen, grabbed her buttocks and said "lovely lovely".
He also kissed and licked a mother and daughter who were walking together and grabbed the breasts of several joggers.
One charge goes back to 2010, but most of the offences were committed between August and December 2012.
The accused was given a first strike warning in November.
3 News
source: newshub archive
