Source: Radio New Zealand
Johnathan Tamihana was sentenced to preventative detention with a minimum non-parole period of five years at the High Court in Auckland on Wednesday. RNZ / Simon Rogers
A man has been sentenced to preventative detention following two sexual attacks against women nearly a year apart.
The two women were both indecently assaulted at the Ōtara Creek Reserve, one in February 2023 and the other in February 2024.
In the first incident, police said a French national was indecently assaulted at the reserve in broad daylight.
“The woman was understandably distraught by what had happened on her visit to New Zealand,” Detective Senior Sergeant Dean Batey said in a statement.
At that time police identified a suspect on a BMX bike using CCTV footage, but despite an investigation and a public appeal they were unable to identify the unknown male, he said.
Nearly a year later, on 18 January 2024, a local woman reported to police that she had been indecently assaulted by a man.
“The woman was out jogging at around 6.30am when a man had followed her into the Ōtara Creek Reserve.
“He subjected her to a disturbing indecent assault.
“Our team was conscious of the previous incident and were determined to stop him from committing any further harm.”
Investigations managed to identify Johnathan Tamihana as the offender in both attacks.
Tamihana has since pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault, threatening to kill and assault with intent to commit sexual violation.
On Wednesday, the 33-year-old Ōtara man was sentenced to preventative detention with a minimum non-parole period of five years, at the Auckland High Court.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
