Man wins name suppression for sex charges

A Tauranga man accused of paying a 16-year-old girl to perform sexual services for him has successfully bid to have his identity kept secret.

The middle-aged man who faces one representative charge of receiving commercial sexual services from a girl aged 16 was granted interim name and occupation suppression when he appeared before the registrar in Tauranga Court yesterday.

The offences are alleged to have occurred on two separate occasions in Tauranga this month.

The charges are laid under Section 22 (2) and 23 (1) of the Prostitution Reform Act 2003.

The man, who has yet to plead to the charge, has been granted bail subject to strict terms.

The conditions include having no contact with the girl and a named man, and he is also barred from associating with or being in the company of any person aged under 18 years.

Detective Ian Chapman told the Bay of Plenty Times yesterday that the police first became aware of the man's alleged offending about a week ago.

Mr Chapman said police inquiries into the matter were ongoing.