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Two men accused in Dilworth investigation named

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Mon, 5 Oct 2020, 12:29pm
Alister Grant Harlow outside Auckland District Court on the day of his first appearance. Photo / Alex Burton NZ Herald
Alister Grant Harlow outside Auckland District Court on the day of his first appearance. Photo / Alex Burton NZ Herald

Two men accused in Dilworth investigation named

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Mon, 5 Oct 2020, 12:29pm

Two of the seven men charged following allegations of historical sex abuse at Auckland's Dilworth School can now be named.

They are Alister Grant Harlow and Ian Wilson.

Harlow faces one charge of indecent assault on a boy over the age of 16 in 1990.

The 60-year-old Hillsborough accountant entered a not guilty plea when he appeared in the Auckland District Court this morning. He chose not to seek continued name suppression.

Wilson, who didn't have an occupation listed on his charge sheets, is accused of indecently assaulting a boy under the age of 16 on 12 different occasions between 1979 and 1982.

The 69-year-old Maraetai man was also charged with inducing a different boy aged under 16 to do an indecent act on him in 1977.

Seven former Dilworth teaching staff were charged last month with a number of serious offences, many of them sexual, against 18 victims. The charges relate to offending between the 1970s and late 2000s.

All were initially granted name suppression after their first appearances.

Two of the other seven men have also appeared in court this morning. Both were granted a continuation of their interim name suppression order.

One is a 78-year-old who is facing three charges of indecent assault, relating to two boys.

The other, a 69-year-old, faces one charge of indecent assault.

Meanwhile, the number of police officers investigating the allegations was bolstered last week and extra psychological support was made available following the public response.

Detective Senior Sergeant Geoff Baber, head of the inquiry code named Operation Beverly, said more than 70 people had come forward since the arrests.

"We are continuing to assess any information provided and investigators are currently making a number of enquiries into the additional information received to date."

Dilworth College Headmaster Dan Reddiex (left) and Chairman of the Dilworth Trust Board Aaron Snodgrass addressed the media after the charges were announced by police. Photo / Greg Bowker

Dilworth College Headmaster Dan Reddiex (left) and Chairman of the Dilworth Trust Board Aaron Snodgrass addressed the media after the charges were announced by police. Photo / Greg Bowker

Baber attended today's hearing and was seated at the back of the courtroom. Dilworth headmaster Dan Reddiex, who was appointed last year, said on the day of the arrests that the school had zero tolerance for abuse of any kind.

"The health, safety and wellbeing of our students is our single greatest priority and responsibility.

"We know that a safe environment is instrumental to our students flourishing both personally and academically."

 

Where to get help:

  • If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
  • If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone call the confidential crisis helpline Safe to Talk on: 0800 044 334 or text 4334. (available 24/7)
  • Male Survivors Aotearoa offers a range of confidential support at centres across New Zealand - find your closest one here.
  • Mosaic - Tiaki Tangata: 0800 94 22 94 (available 11am - 8pm)
  • Alternatively contact your local police station
  • If you have been abused, remember it's not your fault.

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