An elderly Eketahuna man has been convicted of historical sex offending against children after admitting 32 charges including indecent assault, unlawful sexual connection, and sodomy.
Mitchel Hemi, 82, appeared in Wellington District Court before Judge Jan Kelly on Monday.
He was convicted of 15 charges of indecent assault, 15 of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and two of sodomy.
Hemi had first appeared on 12 charges dating from 1978 to 1985 in May of 2017.
He was out on bail when further historical charges were laid in December that year.
The full list of charges covered a broad range of offending from 1978 to 2000.
Most related to offending in Masterton, though properties in Carterton, Lower Hutt, Palmerston North, Auckland and the South Island were also listed.
The charges related to four male victims, one under the age of 12, two under the age of 16, and another age 12 and 16 when the offending is believed to have occurred.
The indecent assault charges included unlawful touching, oral sex, and inducing one victim to perform indecent acts on another person.
Defence lawyer Jock Blathwayt entered guilty pleas to all the charges on behalf of Hemi.
Crown prosecutor Kate Feltham was not opposed to bail while a pre-sentence report was prepared.
Hemi was granted bail under his existing conditions, which includes orders not to associate with anyone under the age of 16.
He was remanded until his next appearance in September for sentencing at Wellington District Court.
