A young girl who confronted her abuser after watching a presentation about sexual abuse at school not only stopped the abuse, but her courage in coming forward led to his being convicted and jailed.

That man, Stephen Rolston, was sentenced in the Wellington District Court last month on charges of sexual violation and indecency with a young girl, but couldn’t be named until now when his interim name suppression lapsed.

Judge Tania Warburton described the facts of the case as “distressing”, saying the offending occurred while Rolston volunteered at his church.

His lawyer, Peter Ross, sought credit for Rolston’s previous lack of convictions and his 11 years of volunteer work at Radio Rhema, as well as donating blood and volunteering at the Coastguard, his church and an environmental group.

But Judge Warburton said this type of offending took place in secret, behind closed doors.

“Often people present well in society, they do good things, [but] all the while they continue to offend. In this case, your offending extended from 2000 to 2007. During that time you were volunteering at your church and began crewing for the Coastguard,” she said.

Judge Warburton said she accepted Rolston had no previous convictions and was otherwise of good character. But his lack of remorse, the minimisation of his offending and the fact it occurred while Rolston volunteered in the community, meant only a small discount was appropriate.

Given Rolston’s continued reluctance to accept the facts – despite his guilty pleas – Judge Warburton outlined his offending in open court.

The court heard his offending took place in the bedroom and shower, involving inappropriate touching, masturbation and oral sex. There were at least 18 alleged incidents over seven years.

The offending began when the girl was 4 years old and ceased when she was 11, after the girl watched a presentation at school and recognised she was being sexually abused. She told Rolston if he ever touched her again, she would call the police.

Reading her victim impact statement to the court, the girl’s mother said she felt sad at what had happened to her, but grateful her daughter had shared her secret.

“I feel very, very blessed, she is a beautiful person inside and out. Her childhood was taken away but I am so glad no more harm can be done.”

Judge Warburton told the now 62-year-old he had robbed the girl of all the good memories of her childhood and left her struggling with anxiety and depression.

But the victim was strongly supported by her mother, siblings and other family members, she said.

Rolston was sentenced on three charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and two charges of indecency with a girl under 12.

Adopting a starting point of 10 years jail, the judge reduced it to seven years after taking into account Rolston’s previous good character and guilty plea, sparing the victim a trial.

She declined the Crown’s request for a minimum sentence of imprisonment or to impose a protection order. Rolston will be placed on the sex offenders’ register.

Catherine Hutton is an Open Justice reporter, based in Wellington. She has worked as a journalist for 20 years, including at the Waikato Times and RNZ. Most recently she was working as a media advisor at the Ministry of Justice.