A convicted rapist has moved in next door to his victim in Invercargill.
Craig James Crofts was jailed for four years in 2004 after admitting that he raped the woman. The sentencing judge described him as a high-risk recidivist offender.
The woman discovered in November this year that Mr Crofts had moved in next door - so close that he can see in the front window of her home.
Rape Crisis Auckland says it is a terrible situation for the woman, but police say they have no legislative power to force him to move away.
The woman took out an indefinite protection order, but this does not specifically say that Mr Crofts can't live beside her.
However, family law expert Vivienne Crawshaw believes the man could be breaching the order.
Ms Crawshaw, a barrister, says face-to-face contact, which is almost unavoidable in a neighbour situation, is prohibited in most protection orders.
Watching a person and loitering around their property would also be a breach.
Ms Crawshaw says the courts do not have the scope to dictate where a person can or can't live in a protection order.
