Indecent assault

Peter Arthur Meredith, who is a prominent businessman, was found to have indecently assaulted a woman who is a manager of a tourist resort.

The incident took place in July at a house rented by the victim and her husband with a child from a friend of the defendant.

Mr Meredith pleaded guilty to the charge in the district court.

He was also charged with attempted rape but the charge was withdrawn on the request of the victim.

The court has ordered the defendant, 66, to pay a $US2500 fine to the victim.

Hutt Valley District Court judge Arthur Tompkins said Jacob Semeri, from the Oasis of Life church in Naenae, had been abusing the girls while fulfilling the duties of a man of high standing in his community.

"He was living a life of hypocrisy."

According to a report on Stuff.co, Semeri was jailed on Wednesday for 16 months after pleading guilty to two representative charges of indecent assault of girls aged between 12 and 14.

Both girls had been living at his home and were under his care at different times between 1995 and 2013.