Photo: RNZ / Peter de Graaf
A Kerikeri man facing a raft of historical sex charges involving young boys is expected to enter a plea when he appears in court later this month.
The 79-year-old was arrested as part of an investigation into accusations of sex offending that spanned three decades when he was part of a secretive sect, the Two by Twos.
Police initially charged the man with 17 indecent assault and sexual violation offences they say occurred around the country between 1964 and 1981.
They involved four victims, one of whom was aged under 12 at the time.
The man, who has interim name suppression, had been due in the Kaikohe District Court on Tuesday but his lawyer said he had just got out of hospital and was very unwell.
He was excused from appearing and remanded without plea. He is due back in court on 24 September.
Lawyer Doug Blaikie said he expected the case would be resolved on that date because his client wanted it dealt with as quickly as possible.
Blaikie sought continued name suppression until his next court appearance, saying naming him now could be "very detrimental".
"He has cancer, he has had a number of strokes. Generally he is in pretty poor shape. There is a real risk to him."
Judge John McDonald rejected Blaikie's argument that naming the man could identify his alleged victims.
He said the media was well aware of restrictions which prohibited the publication of information that could identify the victims of sex offences.
On the other grounds advanced by Blaikie - that publishing his name could "cause his health to deteriorate to the point he would not survive" - Judge McDonald said the arguments for and against were finely balanced.
However, he was prepared to allow name suppression to continue until the next court date.
Any request for suppression beyond that date would need a very strong argument, including affidavits, Judge McDonald said.
The religious group known as the Two by Twos, or The Truth, is under investigation by the FBI for historical child sexual abuse.
Where to get help for sexual violence
Victim Support 0800 842 846
Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00
HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655 - push 0 at the menu
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) 022 344 0496