Guilty! James Robertson Parker, Kaitaia, New Zealand (arrested July 2012)

3 News: Schools failed to stop teacher's abuse (Nov 9 2012)

James Parker, 37, who taught at Kaitaia's Pamapuria School, in August admitted 49 charges of sexual offending involving around a dozen boys aged 11 to 13. He will be sentenced next week ... The report says Parker quickly established himself as a popular and well-regarded teacher, sometimes called by pupils "Uncle Jamie", who organised the school's kapa haka group. However, it also describes testimony of how he would cuddle boys, have them overnight at his house and would be jumping around with them on a mattress in just his boxer shorts. However, because Parker had adult girlfriends it was not believed he was abusing boys.​

 

3 News: James Parker report reveals over a decade of concerns (Nov 9 2012)

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Some 14 years before a school teacher pleaded guilty to multiple child sex offences, concerns had been raised about his interactions with young boys. But no charges were laid against James Parker until years later, and now a report has revealed that the school where he's been working was alerted, but failed to act. As early as 1998, Parker was known to have young children staying at his home, where he would shower and sleep with them. At least five people who taught in the region – three of them principals – knew about this behaviour. The police also knew about it, but no charges were laid and no investigation was made. Parker was told by police he didn't look like a paedophile ... The report also revealed the principal at Parker’s previous school had serious reservations about him due to his behaviour around young boys. She did not support his application for registration. However Parker had also misled the Teacher Registration Board.​

 

USEC Network: James Parker report reveals over a decade of concerns (Nov 9 2012)

... [James] Parker was hired by Pamapuria School principal Stephen Hovell. In 2009, concerns about Parker’s behaviour were reported to Mr Hovell. A boy laid a complaint of indecent assault. Two other boys were identified. But a report on Parker’s employment and offences reveals the response from the board of trustees to police and Child, Youth and Family was “overly focused” on Parker’s own welfare. “The principal limited details to the trustees,” the report states. “Parker was not told to end or limit his out of school contact with children. There was no independent examination into the complaint. And no proper arrangements were made with the boys’ parents about Parker’s future involvement in their lives.”​

 

New Zealand Herald: How abuser kept on offending (Nov 10 2012)

Northland teacher James Parker was able to continue his offending against young boys partly because of his close relationship with his principal and his role as deputy principal and kapa haka leader, a report has found ... Sometimes unusual behaviour was accepted because Parker had an adult girlfriend so people assumed he was safe with young boys. Others thought he wasn't a risk because children stayed overnight with their parents' permission. Parker's closeness to some families and his mana as kapa haka leader made it hard for people to suspect or accuse him. Others felt their concerns would not be acted on because he was close to principal Stephen Hovell.​

 

Yahoo! News New Zealand: Questions remain over school inquiry into paedophile teacher (Nov 10 2012)

It's still not clear why the Principal of a Northland school wouldn't take part in an inquiry into his paedophile deputy ... The report also says the response by the Board of Trustees to a later CYF and police investigation was overly focused on Parker's welfare, and the Principal limited the information made available to the trustees.​

 

Radio New Zealand: Teacher expected to face more sex abuse charges (Nov 10 2012)

The lawyer for a Far North teacher who sexually abused a dozen boys says he will be facing more charges of abusing other boys ... The new charges follow a police investigation into James Parker's teaching career in the Far North and an inquiry by the Ministry of Education.​

 

Radio New Zealand: Ministry improving info-sharing to protect children (Nov 12 2012)

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A report by the ministry on how former deputy principal James Parker was able to prey on young boys in his care was made public on Friday and found that Pamapuria School failed to protect students despite a police warning about him. The report found the school was warned numerous times about the behaviour of Parker, who has admitted 49 charges of indecent assault against boys and is facing 23 new charges. He is in custody.​

 

Radio New Zealand: Teacher facing another 23 sex abuse charges (Nov 12 2012)

The new charges may delay the sentencing of James Parker, who was deputy principal at Pamapuria School in Kaitaia, on 49 charges that he admitted to earlier. Those charges involve indecent assault and unlawful sexual connection with a dozen boys aged 11 to 13. The new charges cover boys aged between 10 and 16. The majority of them cover the period from 2006 to 2012. Two charges laid under section 140A of the Crimes Act 1961 relate to offences in 1999.​

 

Yahoo! News New Zealand: More charges against Far North teacher (Nov 12 2012)

Police have laid 23 new charges against the former deputy principal of a Far North school, alleging more sexual crimes against the boys in his care. James Parker, 37, who taught at Kaitaia's Pamapuria School for about 12 years, has already admitted 49 charges of sexual offending involving around a dozen boys aged 11 to 13. He is due to be sentenced on Thursday. However, after eight more victims came forward Northland police on Monday confirmed they are laying another 23 charges, which will likely push out a sentencing date.​

 

Otago Daily Times: Teacher faces more abuse charges (Nov 16 2012)

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James Parker, the 37-year old former deputy principal of Pamapuria School, 10km south of Kaitaia, is awaiting sentence on 49 sexual abuse charges. Police today revealed a further 23 charges against him over another eight victims, mainly during the period 2006-2012. The new charges include:​

• eight charges of an indecent act on a boy aged under 12 years;
• four charges of an indecent act on a boy aged between 12 and 16 years;
• one of an indecent assault on a boy aged under 12 years;
• four charges of indecent assault on a boy aged between 12 and 16 years;
• one charge of indecent assault on a boy aged between 12 and 16;
• one charge of indecent assault on a boy aged under 16;
• four charges of sexual violation.

Two charges relate to offences dating back to 1999. ​

 

TV NZ: Teacher charged with 23 further sex crimes (Nov 12 2012)

Northland police have laid 23 further charges against James Parker, the former deputy school principal who pleaded guilty in August to 49 sexual offences against boys. Those offences involved 12 of his Pamapuria School students and were committed between 2004 and 2012. The new charges against 37-year-old Parker involve a further eight victims and include four charges of sexual violation.​

 

The Northern Advocate: More sex abuse charges against North Teacher James Parker (Nov 16 2012)

Police have today laid further charges against a Northland school teacher awaiting sentence for child sex abuse. James Parker, the 37-year old former deputy principal of Pamapuria School, 10km south of Kaitaia, is awaiting sentence on 49 sexual abuse charges. Police today revealed a further 23 charges against him over another eight victims, mainly during the period 2006-2012 ... An independent report released last week concluded that Parker was able to continue abusing young boys partly because of his close relationship with his principal and his role as deputy principal and kapa haka leader. There was no evidence offences had occurred at school. Warnings had been flagged as early as 1998 when Parker started teaching at Oturu School in Kaitaia. But his habits of showering with boys staying at his home or sharing a bed with them 'marae-style' sometimes went unchallenged because Parker had an adult girlfriend, the report said.

 

MSN NZ: More charges against Far North teacher (Nov 12 2012)

James Parker, 37, who taught at Kaitaia's Pamapuria School for about 12 years, has already admitted 49 charges of sexual offending involving around a dozen boys aged 11 to 13. He is due to be sentenced on Thursday. However, after eight more victims came forward Northland police on Monday confirmed they are laying another 23 charges, which will likely push out a sentencing date. The new charges include indecent assault, performing an indecent act and four charges of sexual violation, all against boys aged under 16.​

 

NZ City: More charges against Far North teacher (Nov 12 2012)

Police have laid 23 new charges against the former deputy principal of a Far North school, alleging more sexual crimes against the boys in his care. James Parker, 37, who taught at Kaitaia's Pamapuria School for about 12 years, has already admitted 49 charges of sexual offending involving around a dozen boys aged 11 to 13. He is due to be sentenced on Thursday. However, after eight more victims came forward Northland police on Monday confirmed they are laying another 23 charges, which will likely push out a sentencing date. The new charges include indecent assault, performing an indecent act and four charges of sexual violation, all against boys aged under 16.​

 

New Zealand Herald: Child abuser James Parker sentenced to preventive detention (Aug 15 2013)

Paedophile school teacher James Parker has been sentenced to preventive detention with a minimum non-parole period of seven years in an emotionally-charged sentencing before a court room packed with his victims and their families.​

 

TV NZ: 'Sicko' paedophile James Parker gets preventive detention (Aug 15 2013)

Serial paedophile James Parker, described by one victim as a 'sicko', has been sentenced to preventive detention with a minimum jail term of seven years. One of New Zealand's worst paedophiles, the former teacher and deputy principal had pleaded guilty to 74 sex charges over the abuse of 20 of his male students between 1999 and 2012 while he worked at Pamapuria School in Kaitaia. The charges represented more than 300 offences against boys ranging in age between nine and 15, and included five of sexual violation involving two boys.​

 

TV NZ: Ordeal not over for paedophile Parker's victims (Aug 15 2013)

James Parker might have been sentenced to preventive detention for serial child sex abuse but the ordeal is not over for his victims. That's the message from police, child protection authorities and victims' families after the 38-year old was given a minimum non-parole period of seven years in the Whangarei High Court today.​

 

The Northern Advocate: UPDATED: Sentencing for Parker begins (Aug 15 2013)

An emotionally-charged sentencing began this morning for paedophile school teacher James Parker before a court room packed with his victims and their families. The proceeding, before Justice Paul Heath, could stretch well into this afternoon as the High Court at Whangarei hears impact statements from some of Parker's 20 victims. Ministry of Justice staff opened a second court room which streamed the hearing live on a big screen, to allow members of the public and media who could not fit into the main court room to see Parker handed his punishment ...​

 

Stuff: Teacher paedophile gets preventive detention (Aug 15 2013)

[James Robertson] Parker received a preventive detention sentence with a minimum term of imprisonment of seven years for the offences committed against 20 boys aged under 16-years-old. ​

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In 1998 a boy came forward to make a complaint about Parker, but when interviewed for an hour by a police specialist interviewer he retracted the accusations. ​

Police then interviewed Parker. "He was given every opportunity to confess and the allegations were strongly denied," Dalzell said. Faced with no evidence, police could not prosecute Parker. Instead they sent a letter of warning to the school - a warning that was not acted on. ​

 

Scoop: Maximum sentence warranted in child sex abuse conviction (Aug 15 2013)

Today in the Whangarei High Court James Parker was sentenced by Justice Paul Heath to preventive detention for the 74 child sex abuse charges laid against him ... “The Judge has sentenced Parker to preventive detention. This means Parker is considered to be a high risk and will be detained indefinitely until such time if and when he is considered to be safe back in the community ...” Parker has a non-parole period of seven years.​