The breaking news this morning;

A 20 year old man is facing charges in relation to a Labour Youth Camp at Waihi.

As the matter is now before the courts I’ll keep this post brief but it is available for comments.

Copied from Stuff News:

The arrest came after allegations the man sexually assaulted four teenagers, all aged 16, including putting his hands down the pants of at least three of them during the Waihi camp in February.

The Young Labour supporter was ejected the morning after the alleged incidents took place and barred from future events. There was alcohol at the summer camp despite some people in attendance being underage.

Copied from Radio New Zealand

Four teenagers reported being harassed at a Young Labour camp in Waihi in February.

Police said a man has been arrested and and bailed to appear in court on four charges of indecent assault, following an investigation into allegations relating to the summer camp.

The man is due to appear in the Auckland District Court on 5 July.

Copied from the Newsroom:

The young victim said: “It’s been such an unnerving time. To know that four months after the assaults occurred, that some action is finally being taken is fantastic. It feels like there’s some closure. After months of backtracks, lack of support and media coverage, its all coming to a head.

“[…] now the arrest…. and the release of the independent report in the next few weeks is really going to put the assaults and response to the assaults seriously in the spotlight.

“I’m hoping that some good will come out of it and the [man] begins to realise the seriousness of his actions and the awful position it has put not only me in, but the other three victims and the Labour Party too.

“This whole ordeal has detailed perfectly the party’s failings regarding sexual assault as a whole, yet somehow I am confident and remain hopeful that the party will not let something like this happen in the future”