'Father figure' breaches trust

MICHELLE ROBINSON

A NORTHCOTE boxing club coach who helped troubled youths has been jailed for sexual offences against a 13-year-old girl.

Peter John Luke Derrick, 45, was sentenced to three years in prison on September 2, after being found guilty through jury trial on two counts of sexual connection with a young person, and five counts of performing an indecent act on the same person.

The Northside Boxing head coach was also found guilty of supplying cannabis to another girl under 18 years old.

He had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During sentencing, Judge David McNaughton referred to Derrick's "massive" contribution to society by working with troubled youth to get them focused on boxing and off the streets.

Both girls were trained by the coach from age 13. He became a close family friend, the Auckland District Court heard.

The victim of the sexual offences sobbed as the court heard how she was groomed "through close physical contact over about 12 to 18 months".

Judge McNaughton said Derrick was able to control the girl because she knew about his gang background.

"She was fearful of what would happen if she disclosed anything," he said during sentencing.

He said the most aggravating factor was the "gross breach of trust".

The girl looked to the coach as a father figure when the offending took place, the court heard.

The court heard at the age of 13 the complainant and her sister and mother joined Northside Boxing Club.

Derrick became close to the family around the time the girls' parents were separating.

He would join the family for dinners and was aware of the mother's difficulties controlling her daughter, the complainant, including her drug and alcohol use and boyfriend issues.

The daughter confided in Derrick and looked to him for advice.

"You used your role as a father figure to get her to do what you wanted," Judge McNaughton said.

He deducted a third of the sentence from the four years and six months starting point.

The judge said he took into account the coach's "massive" contribution to the community which was highlighted by the amount of material provided to the court by supporters, many of who were at the sentencing.

"You have a special talent with youth who are in trouble," he said.

"You've saved the lives of many young people, who without all the positive leadership could have fallen into a life of crime.

"But you've destroyed the life of this young girl and possibly her mother."

The girl said in her victim impact statement that she suffered from anxiety and had to take medication after having suicidal thoughts following the sexual encounters.

She said she avoided school and lost contact with her friends who she felt were too young to understand.

She now has to work on rebuilding her relationship with her mother, she said.

- © Fairfax NZ News