Bail has been refused for an 89-year-old man flown back to Christchurch from Australia while he faces child sex abuse charges dating back up to 52 years.
The man had been detained at Brisbane Airport on Tuesday and sent back to Christchurch where he has been on bail since being charged in November over allegations of indecencies with a girl aged under 12, and rape of the same girl.
He appeared back in the Christchurch District Court yesterday before Judge Alistair Garland who had granted him bail last month.
He faced a charge of breaching his bail after failing to appear for a scheduled court date in Christchurch – while he was travelling to Australia.
After hearing submissions by defence counsel Andrew McCormick, Judge Garland refused to grant bail again and remanded the man in custody to January 25, but said that he could make a new application for electronically monitored bail in the meantime.
The judge also refused to continue the man’s interim name suppression, but Mr McCormick said an appeal against lifting of the order would be made in the High Court.
Judge Garland continued the suppression until Monday afternoon when the appeal papers must be filed. If they were not filed, the order would lapse, he said.
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