The property is a short walk from multiple schools.<\/p>\n
Years earlier, in December 2005, the 46-year-old was jailed for nearly a decade after raping and having an unlawful sexual connection with a woman.<\/p>\n
The Herald has confirmed the man has other convictions, including for violence and theft. <\/p>\n
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the man\u2019s neighbour said she was disgusted by his placement. She found the situation triggering as she was herself a victim of unrelated sexual violence.<\/p>\n
She alleged she first raised concerns about the man\u2019s history with a K\u0101inga Ora housing manager in late January and then again the following month. <\/p>\n
\u201cShe cut me short and just said, \u2018I can\u2019t discuss other tenants with you\u2019.\u201d <\/p>\n
The woman told the Herald that when she contacted K\u0101inga Ora again last month to inform the agency the man had new sex offending charges, the housing manager allegedly said: \u201cWell, what do you want us to do, kick him out?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI said, \u2018What would you do, would you like a sex offender living next door to you?\u2019, and she said, \u2018I\u2019m not answering that\u2019.\u201d <\/p>\n
K\u0101inga Ora, however, said an earlier call from the neighbour only discussed the agency\u2019s general policies regarding background checks on sex offenders, and that it only learned of the man\u2019s previous sex offences after his latest charges were filed. <\/p>\n
This week, the neighbour said she believed the man was no longer living at the address as she had not seen any movement inside the home.<\/p>\n
She said there had been no messaging from K\u0101inga Ora about the sex offender moving into the block of flats and she felt the agency had put people at risk. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey need to have better screening of their tenants so this doesn\u2019t happen, so [sex offenders] aren\u2019t in an environment where there are families. I understand they\u2019ve still got to have somewhere to live, but not next to families.\u201d<\/p>\n
K\u0101inga Ora says it was not aware a man was a sex offender when they moved him into a flat in Auckland. <\/p>\n
When approached for comment, K\u0101inga Ora regional director of homes and communities John Tubberty said as the case was before the court, it was a \u201cmatter for police\u201d. <\/p>\n
After further questions, K\u0101inga Ora confirmed it was not aware of the man\u2019s sex offending history when he moved in. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe work with police and Corrections to manage risk, in this case though there was no information indicating a risk,\u201d Tubberty said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a standard process between agencies when housing people who may have court-mandated conditions. If those conditions apply, then these agencies engage with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
K\u0101inga Ora would not confirm whether the man was on bail at the address in relation to the new charges.<\/p>\n
Police also wouldn\u2019t say where the man was bailed to but confirmed they opposed his bail application.<\/p>\n
They were unable to comment further as the matter was before the court. <\/p>\n
The man is due to reappear in Auckland District Court later this year.<\/p>\n
Another woman, who lives nearby, said convicted sex offenders should not be allowed to live next to children.<\/p>\n
She alleged that before his recent arrest, the man told her he had been in jail, but not what for. <\/p>\n
She said after that conversation, she tried to search online what he had done but no information came up. <\/p>\n
Housing Minister Chris Bishop declined to comment, saying it was an operational matter for K\u0101inga Ora. <\/p>\n
Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues such as sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.<\/p>\n