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A university professor has escaped being sent to jail for sexually assaulting an 82-year-old woman in a rest home.
The 55-year-old has been given name suppression until midnight so he has time to tell friends and family of his offending.
In the Wellington District Court today, Judge Stephen Harrop sentenced the man to eight months' home detention, 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay $3000 to the victim’s family.
In the summary of events, the judge said the man was at a rest home in May last year, when he approached the woman, who was at the home after suffering a stroke.
He followed the victim to her bedroom where he shut the door and began kissing and touching her, despite her attempts to push him away.
A staff member then walked in and went to get a manager.
However, he continued to touch the victim again, putting his hand down her underwear and exposing himself.
The victim’s daughter read a victim impact statement during the man’s sentencing in court today, saying her mother’s health has severely deteriorated, and she has had several falls and now needs a wheelchair.
She said her mother had “slowly drifted away” and “sadness enveloped her body” with the bright spark in her eye gone.
"The accused made a choice… to take advantage of a kind, caring, and vulnerable woman. Our mother has inadvertently become part of the #MeToo movement,” she said.
The man also made a statement in court today where he apologised to the victim and her family.
He said he was mentally unwell when he offended, and was affected by the pressures of work and family problems.
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