Convicted Rotorua child abducter John Tekuru found outside school, at playground, after prison release

That data went on to find him in breach of his prison release conditions, which state that he should not loiter or enter a place where people under 16 are gathered.

It showed that, two days after his release, Tekuru went to a playground.

He confirmed with Corrections that he entered the park containing the playground, and a warning was issued.

A couple of days later, he was detected about 8am at a high school that shares an entranceway with an early childhood education centre.

Around the same time, he also went to another early childhood centre.

He was then taken into custody on March 17.

Today, he appeared via audio-visual link in the Manukau District Court, where he pleaded guilty to the breach and was sentenced.

His lawyer, Gaye Gurnick, raised her client’s manner with Judge Jonathan Moses.

“You must excuse Mr Tekuru, sir. He does have an awkward smile,” she said.

John Tekuru at his sentencing in the Rotorua District Court in January for abducting a 3-year-old girl last year. Photo / Kelly Makiha

Gurnick assured the judge that she had “laboured” over the seriousness of the release conditions with him.

In sentencing Tekuru, Judge Moses considered the length of time he had been remanded in custody and his youth.

The abduction was his only previous conviction, the judge noted.

He sentenced Tekuru to one month in prison.

He ordered no new conditions other than those from the previous release.

Those conditions were:

That he be electronically monitored;Live at an approved address;Not be in contact with people under 16 unless supervised by an approved informed adult and it was authorised in writing;Not to enter areas where children are likely to be present, including playgrounds and schools, without written approval;Not to contact the victim;To undergo psychological assessment and treatment;Undergo alcohol and drug treatment;Not to use alcohol or non‑prescribed drugs; andNot to enter Rotorua without written approval.

The court heard today that Corrections was ready to transport Tekuru to an address suitable for living, subject to the conditions upon release.

The abduction

At his sentencing in Rotorua District Court in January, it was revealed that Tekuru suffered from schizophrenia.

On the day he took the girl, he had been smoking cannabis, was off his medication and claimed to have voices in his head telling him what to do.

The name of the Rotorua daycare the girl attended has been permanently suppressed to protect her identity.

Tekuru loitered outside the centre’s grounds for more than an hour. He twice scaled a 2m-high fence and entered the grounds undetected, taking the girl the second time.

He carried her towards his home, but let her go when she cried hysterically. She ran back to the centre.

He had her in his possession for about three to four minutes.

When police later found Tekuru, he told them he had intended to rape her.

At his sentencing, the girl’s parents were visibly distraught.

The mother’s victim impact statement said: “It makes me sick to my stomach that this man had the motive and intentions to sexually harm my 3-year-old daughter.”

Ella Scott-Fleming has been a journalist for three years and previously worked at the Otago Daily Times, Gore Ensign and Metro magazine. She has an interest in court and general reporting. She’s currently based in Auckland, covering justice-related stories.