A convicted child rapist who breached his release conditions by giving money to another person has avoided immediate punishment.
Lloyd McIntosh, 39, who has been living in the grounds of Christchurch Men's Prison since his release in 2005, appeared in Christchurch District Court today.
He admitted putting money into the bank account of another resident - a breach of the rules of the Salisbury Street Foundation, the privately run parole facility, the Christchurch Court News website reports.
It followed a number of incidents, including abusing staff and dishonesty, a probation officer told the court.
Judge John Macdonald ruled the breach was a minor one and an isolated lapse. It was not an indication that McIntosh was suddenly going to re-offend, he said.
He gave McIntosh a deferred sentence to come up if called upon within 12 months.
McIntosh was jailed in the 1990s for raping a nine-month-old baby and then sexually assaulting a two-year-old boy.
The crimes happened in Whanganui, which is now trying to fight the decision to allow another sex offender, Stewart Murray Wilson, to live in the town's prison grounds.
Whanganui District Council is in the High Court at Wellington today, arguing Wilson, 65, should be sent elsewhere.
NZN