20 Nov 2013

Paedophile sentenced to more jail time

9:10 pm on 20 November 2013

One of New Zealand's most notorious paedophiles will remain in prison for five more years for sexually abusing a boy whose mother was dying of cancer.

Peter Liddell was sentenced at the Auckland District Court on three historical charges of committing an indecent act between 1983 and 1985 when the victim was aged 11 and 12.

Liddell has 18 prior convictions and is already in jail serving a preventive detention sentence. He was sentenced on Wednesday to at least five more years in jail.

The 68-year-old had been appointed as a social worker to the family after the boy's mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The victim, now in his early 40s, said in a statement to the court that he still suffers physically and mentally nearly 30 years after being abused. He said he became dependent on alcohol and illegal drugs to cope, which have given him memory and concentration problems.

Judge Nevin Dawson told Liddell that his offending was a despicable breach of trust and had a devastating impact on the victim.

"The victim is also very vulnerable in that he was only eleven and twelve years of age at the time. His mother was terminally ill and he was frequently given valium to cope with the family circumstances, which made it easier for you to offend against him."

Judge Dawson said Liddell has shown no remorse and continues to deny the offending.

Crown lawyer Amy Jordan said Liddell was meant to be helping the victim, who was extremely vulnerable, but instead breached his trust on multiple occasions.