A Masterton man convicted of a raft of sex offences against children drove a schoolbus before his conviction.

The man, whose name is suppressed, pleaded guilty yesterday to the offences against three children in his care over a period of 13 years in the late 1970s and 1980s.

The victims were members of his extended family.

Before his arrest, the man had worked as a schoolbus driver.

Clutching a bible, he remained impassive yesterday as disturbing details of his offending were revealed in Masterton District Court.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Gary Wilson said the man moved to New Zealand in the 1970s.

When his marriage broke up he began a new relationship, after which he started offending.

He often got into bed naked with the victims, where he performed sex acts upon them, Mr Wilson said. At other times he showered with the victims.

The offences took place when the victims were aged between 7 and 16 years.

The seven charges were all representative, and ranged from indecent assault to unlawful sexual connection with a child under 12.

The man's lawyer, Louise Elder, said there was no suggestion any offending had taken place since.

Her client had spent the past 30 years trying to forget what he had done to the victims.

He had also put bus driving behind him, Ms Elder said.

Judge Stephen Harrop said given the nature of the offending, prison was "inevitable".

But he deemed the man no risk to the public, agreeing to release him on bail "by a small margin".

The man will be sentenced in December.

Contact Seamus Boyer
Wairarapa reporter
Email: seamus.boyer@dompost.co.nz
Twitter: @SeamusBoyer

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