A 55-year-old man facing nine charges of sexual assault, some relating to the sexual violation of women in rest homes in Blenheim, was granted bail on the condition he does not associate with anyone over the age of 75.
It was one of several conditions set for David Eric Neal when he was granted bail after an appeal hearing in the High Court on May 14. The decision by Justice Ronald Young was released to The Marlborough Express this week.
Neal was originally denied bail on May 3 because Judge Richard Russell said he was concerned the victims were vulnerable and to eliminate the possibility of Neal having any contact with witnesses.
Justice Young said in his appeal decision some of the complainants from the rest home were concerned about seeing Neal on the street and would feel unsafe if he was "free in Blenheim".
However, there was no evidence or risk Neal would interfere with witnesses but the fear of the complainants, given their age, was "understandable", he said.
He decided there was little to justify remanding Neal in custody, provided the bail conditions were strong enough to reassure the complainants.
The judge rejected electronic monitoring because it would be too restrictive for Neal, the decision says.
The bail conditions set include: he must live at a specific address in Blenheim; his brother or sister-in-law must go with him whenever he leaves the property; he cannot go into the non-drinking zone in central Blenheim except between 3pm and 5pm on Monday, Wednesday or Friday; he cannot go within 500 metres of the rest home where the complainants live or within 100m of any other rest home in Blenheim, or contact any of them.
Neal has denied the charges and the case will go to trial. He will reappear on June 23 for a post-committal conference.
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