Former Christchurch police officer Nathan Thorose Connolly
has been convicted on one charge of misusing his authority to
get sex from a prostitute.
He had denied the charges of accepting a bribe from a sex
worker and two charges of inducing sexual connection by
threats.
The trial was told of warnings being given instead of traffic
tickets, and a relationship continuing between Connolly and
the sex worker involving free sex.
He had been a regular client - one who even qualified for a
"discount" - before she discovered he was a police officer.
The jury deliberated for eight hours before delivering its
verdicts in the High Court at Christchurch this afternoon at
the end of the five-day trial.
It acquitted him on the charge of accepting the bribe and one
of the other charges, but found him guilty on the third - an
offence crown prosecutor Anne Toohey said carried a maximum
sentence of 14 years jail.
Justice Christine French remanded Connolly on bail to
December 17 for sentence.
She ordered a pre-sentence report covering his suitability
for home detention but she also said she did not think that
was a realistic option.
Defence counsel Jonathan Eaton said the verdicts were unusual
and might require some legal issues to be resolved before the
sentencing went ahead.
During the remand on bail, Connolly will have to surrender
his passport and report three times a week to the
Christchurch police.
He is also forbidden to go to Manchester Street, the centre
of Christchurch's red light area for street sex workers.
Connolly's family and supporters left the Court House without
making any comment to waiting media.
Canterbury Police District Commander Superintendent Dave
Cliff said it was always disappointing when a person in a
position of trust, abused that trust with the public and
their work colleagues.
"A police officer is treated no differently to a member of
the public in a situation such as this."
A criminal investigation and professional standards
investigation were begun but the professional standards
investigation was stopped when Connolly resigned.
Mr Cliff declined further comment as sentencing had not taken
place.
Connolly joined police in November 2003 and resigned in
December 2008.
