A convicted serial sex offender, who battled in our highest court to keep his name secret, will have his identity revealed in June.
In a Supreme Court judgement released on Tuesday, the court ruled against granting the 21-year-old man permanent name suppression.
However he cannot be named for legal reasons until June 14.
The man was convicted on 10 charges of sexual violence against six female complainants in the Auckland District Court in 2022, after pleading guilty to all charges.
They included multiple counts of rape, unlawful sexual connection, indecent assault and sexual connection with a young person.
The offending happened between 2017 and 2020, when he was aged 14 to 17.
He was sentenced to 12 months home detention.
Since then, the man has fought to keep his identity secret, arguing for permanent name suppression on the basis that publication of his name would be likely to cause him extreme hardship.
His application was declined by the sentencing judge, but the man appealed the decision in multiple courts.
In the judgement released today, the Supreme Court ruled: "While certainly not the only means of providing accountability for a criminal offender... public identification of an offender also takes account of offender culpability."
The six victims were also acknowledged in the decision, with the judgement reading, "the offending has plainly affected their day-to-day lives and their recovery in a number of aspects" and "ongoing name suppression for the offender means their recovery is incomplete".
Three of the women, Mia Edmonds, Rosie Veldkamp, and Ellie Oram, have previously had their automatic name suppression waived, so they could speak publicly about the impact the man's offending has had on their lives.
Today Edmonds described the Supreme Court judgement as a massive victory.
"Forcing sexual offenders to take accountability for their actions is essential," she said.
"This man's legal fights have consumed the past three years of my life.
"This is our first real win, and it feels strange, but it is also incredibly empowering."
Veldkamp said she was relieved at the decision.
"My pain and anxiety will not ease until this decision is properly seen through, and for all women to know who he is and what he has done," Veldkamp said.
Oram said: "To know finally after fighting this battle that his name is going to be out and placed on top of his horrible offences is an indescribable feeling."
Oram also had a message for her fellow survivors.
"We have really gone through it for far too long but you all have been so empowering and carried yourselves with such grace on this dark journey."
Name suppression for the man will lapse on June 14.
