Prowler in custody for sentencing
File image. © Andrew Bardwell
A psychological report has been ordered ahead of the sentencing of a Christchurch 24-year-old who has admitted peering into houses, burglary, and assaulting a schoolgirl.
The prowler, James Fredrick Clark, remains in custody for his sentencing on May 12 after Christchurch District Court Judge Jane Farish refused to allow his release under electronic monitoring.
Clark has gradually admitted a series of charges since the offending began in November and has been in custody since February when he was arrested on a burglary charge.
He pleaded guilty to that burglary before the bail hearing today, and Judge Farish allowed the police summary of facts to be released to the media.
Clark has now admitted a charge of burglary of a house, peeping and peering near a house, doing an indecent act, and assault on a 13-year-old girl. Most of the guilty pleas were entered at earlier appearances.
The police said Clark blocked the schoolgirl’s way as she biked through a reserve on November 4. She stopped, but became scared when he tried to engage her in conversation and tried to turn her bicycle to ride away.
Clark held onto her schoolbag to stop her leaving, but she kicked out at him and made him let go and she got away.
Clark told police they had nearly collided and he had tried to talk to her when she became upset. He had held her back to explain to her that everything was okay.
In February he went to a home where a 14-year-old girl was home alone. He climbed onto the garage roof and tried to look into the house through the skylight windows. As he climbed over the roof he fell onto a balcony, cutting his hand. He left a blood trail along the balcony.
He then climbed in through an open window and found items to cover the wound before going downstairs and leaving.
Then he saw a light beneath the bathroom door where the girl was hiding, and went back into the house and tried the door. It was locked, and he left.
Police said later that the girl had called 111 while the burglary was happening, and Clark was found nearby with a hand injury.
He told police of previously climbing a tree to peer into a house and masturbating if he saw any women undressed.
He told the police that it was good that the bathroom door was locked and that he was glad he didn’t do anything further that he would regret for the rest of his life.
Category: Focus
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