John Tekuru, a 20-year-old convicted of attempting to abduct a toddler for sexual purposes, received a one-month prison sentence on Thursday after electronic monitoring placed him at a playground and near schools days after his initial release.
Tekuru was released from prison on March 10 after serving half of a two-year sentence. Within 48 hours, tracking data showed him at Alfriston Park in Manurewa between 4:29 a.m. And 4:45 a.m. Corrections issued a written warning following the breach.
The monitoring system flagged further violations on March 14. Tekuru appeared at Alfriston College between 9:28 a.m. And 9:32 a.m., a site that shares an entrance with an early childhood center. Minutes later, from 9:36 a.m. To 9:40 a.m., he was detected at the Go Bananas childcare center.
Judge Moses sentenced Tekuru to one month in prison
Appearing via audio-visual link in the Manukau District Court, Tekuru pleaded guilty to the breaches. Judge Jonathan Moses noted that Tekuru had been fully inducted into his release conditions on March 10 and had confirmed his understanding of the consequences for non-compliance.
The court considered Tekuru’s youth and the fact that the abduction was his only previous conviction. His lawyer, Gaye Gurnick, asked the judge to excuse her client’s “awkward smile” and stated she had laboured over the seriousness of the conditions with him.
Tekuru had already been in custody since March 17. No new conditions were added to his existing mandate, and Corrections will move him to an approved address suitable for his specific restrictions.
The original abduction involved a 3-year-old girl
Tekuru was originally sentenced in the Rotorua District Court in January for the unlawful taking of a three-year-old girl. He loitered outside her daycare for over an hour and scaled a two-meter fence twice to enter the grounds undetected.
He carried the child toward his home but released her after three to four minutes when she began crying hysterically. The girl ran back to the center. Police later learned Tekuru intended to rape the child.
Schizophrenia and drug use contributed to the offense
Court documents revealed Tekuru suffers from schizophrenia. On the day of the abduction, he had stopped taking his medication and was smoking cannabis, claiming that voices in his head directed his actions.
Tekuru’s current release conditions mandate psychological assessment and treatment, as well as alcohol and drug rehabilitation. He is prohibited from using alcohol or non-prescribed drugs.
Why was Tekuru released after only one year?
Under New Zealand law, individuals sentenced to two years or less can be automatically released after serving half of their term. Tekuru’s time in custody during the court process similarly counted toward his sentence.
What was Tekuru’s defense for being near the schools?
Tekuru admitted to walking past the early childcare facilities but told the court he was simply walking within his local area.