Sex charges transferred to Timaru
Twelve charges alleging historic sex offending have now been laid in Christchurch against an Oamaru man already facing trial on similar matters in Timaru.
Arrangements were made at the Christchurch District Court today for all of the latest charges against Frank Russell Walmsley, 56, to be transferred to the Timaru court next month.
Walmsley has an appearance in the Timaru High Court on July 23, so the new charges will be transferred to the district court on the same day. Defence counsel Craig Ruane told Christchurch District Court Judge Alistair Garland that he would discuss how to proceed with the Timaru Crown prosecutor, Andrew McRae.
Walmsley faces trial on 48 historic sex charges. Name suppression was lifted after a High Court hearing in December, when the Oamaru police said they would like to hear from anyone who believed they could assist their investigation.
Since then, Walmsley had been living with his elderly father in Christchurch. The case was back in the Christchurch court in May when police had laid eight more charges, and now a further four have been added.
The Christchurch charges include unlawful sexual connection with a young person, and sexual violation by rape.
Police have not opposed bail but Walmsley has had to arrange to hand in his passport, has his travel restricted, and there is a restriction on contacting a named group of people until June 30 while the police investigation continues. That restriction will lift on that day to enable the defence to make its own inquiries.
The charges already listed for trial name five complainants in Oamaru between 1999 and 2011. Alternative charges have been laid in 25 cases. The charges include sexual violation by rape, sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, performing an indecent act with intent to offend, performing an indecent act, indecent assault, attempted sexual violation by rape, attempted sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, assaulting a female, and assault with a weapon.
Category: Focus
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