A Dunedin woman alleging sexual abuse by artist John Middleditch is urging police to investigate how far his offending may have stretched.
The woman — whom the Otago Daily Times has agreed not to name — alleged she was sexually abused by the late Dunedin-born artist in 1972, when she was 11.
In a letter dated March 1, the woman told Police Commissioner Richard Chambers she was not satisfied with the way police had handled recent complaints of sexual offending by Middleditch, or with the level of support she was receiving regarding her complaint.
‘‘It is clear, just from the public evidence so far presented, that Middleditch’s offending was widespread, and occurred over a considerable period of time.
‘‘It is highly unlikely that all of his victims, or survivors, have yet made themselves known.’’
Her view was police ‘‘have a duty to protect New Zealand residents, not just to prosecute criminals like Middleditch’’.
She said police should look into whether there were other cases of offending by Middleditch and what action police took to investigate how widespread his crimes were.
Police should also examine what warnings about Middleditch’s offending, if any, were given by them to institutions where he worked — particularly where young people were involved, such as schools — and what support police offered to any survivors of his offending, she said.
RNZ reported last week the woman formally complained to police late last year, after requesting the then-Southern District Health Board in 2012 to remove one of his sculptures from Dunedin Hospital — a request she said went ignored.
A second Dunedin woman has since come forward, alleging she too was molested as a child in the late 1960s by Middleditch after meeting him through an art teacher at an Otago school.
Having met the first complainant this week, Health New Zealand (HNZ) southern group director of operations Hamish Brown confirmed two paintings by Middleditch had been removed from the walls of the hospital as well as a plaque for the 1980 work Water Sculpture — a copper water fountain beside the ground-floor foyer.
None of Middleditch’s work would be moved to the new hospital, he said.
‘‘We sincerely sympathise with all victims of sexual offending and appreciate the ongoing impacts this has on their lives.
‘‘We are committed to ensuring that our healthcare facilities are a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.’’
HNZ was considering the next steps for the sculpture in consultation with the Healthcare Otago Charitable Trust, which owned the artwork, he said.
The woman said she was ‘‘really heartened’’ by the haste with which HNZ acted, in light of her previous complaints being ignored, and appreciated the leadership shown.
She wanted to see the artwork either sold or ‘‘preferably destroyed’’, and had discussed at the meeting the prospect of repurposing the sculpture into a new artwork.
She had not been aware of other works by Middleditch in Dunedin and wanted ‘‘serious consideration’’ from other organisations about what happened to works in their possession.
The University of Otago and Tūhura Otago Museum have confirmed they have works by Middleditch on display.
University of Otago registrar David Clark said the university was reviewing its collections to determine if there were any other works by Middleditch in its possession.
Middleditch’s 1969 sculpture Eleven bronze rods supporting albatross wingspan is at present displayed outside the entrance to University College (Unicol).
A group was being established to decide how the situation would be addressed and the university was acutely aware of the need to address it ‘‘as promptly as possible’’.
‘‘While working with appropriate care we want to move as quickly as possible to reach a conclusion.’’
Senior leaders at the university were not aware of Middleditch’s convictions until they were contacted by media just over a week ago, he said.
A Tūhura Otago Museum spokesperson confirmed it did not have any other works by Middleditch in its collection, other than a sculpture displayed in its Southern Land, Southern People Gallery, and was awaiting an opportunity to discuss the matter with the appropriate parties.
