A high-profile Dunedin educator, in prison for sexually abusing two boys in his care, says “I am not a monster”. Amadeo Enriquez Ballestero — the man known as “Mr Science”, who wowed masses of children with his explosive experiments while working at Tūhura Otago Museum — appeared before the Parole Board for the first time yesterday, accepting early release was not appropriate. A psychological report was ordered to assess the treatment the 47-year-old had already undertaken while behind bars and consider further programmes which may be suitable. He will come before the board again in December and indicated he planned, ultimately, to return to Spain. In May, Enriquez Ballestero was jailed for two years four months for crimes he committed against a child he met through “the buddy programme” more than 15 years ago. The charges were only laid after he had been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for sexual offences against another boy whom he met through a school interest group. Enriquez Ballestero has been largely silent throughout his court appearances, but yesterday he spoke for the first time about what drove his crimes. “I had a distortion that I carried throughout my life that allowed me to believe that what I did was alright,” he said. Panel convener Carolina Tiumalu asked the inmate how the community could be protected from him. Enriquez Ballestero spoke at some length about the value in discussing his thought process with professionals. “As soon as I started speaking about all these things I’ve carried within, that was the switch in my brain that changed the patterns in which I was trapped,” he said. Enriquez Ballestero told the board there had been two “big learnings” in his life. The first, was that he was not stupid; he had studied at university and completed a degree, proving his teachers wrong. The second: “I know what I horribly did does not define me . . . I know that every day in my life I am not a monster,” he said. “I will always be a good part of society.” Parole Board member Campbell Roberts outlined the views of the victims, who had earlier spoken with the panel. While their comments were suppressed, Enriquez Ballestero said they left him physically shaking. “That is unbearable to hear. That is absolutely crushing,” he said. The prisoner told the board that reflecting on the pain he had caused had previously been the catalyst for a “huge spiral” through which he concluded he deserved a death sentence. Enriquez Ballestero, though, said he had learnt to control his thinking, aided by the support he had. Several of those supporters spoke on his behalf at yesterday’s hearing but their words and identity were suppressed. Enriquez Ballestero said there were people in Dunedin who had supported him for years. “It's to them I can see that I have actually been a good person,” he said. The former educator admitted every relationship he had had with a child he hoped to help had been “toxic”. Enriquez Ballestero said he had come to realise through therapy: “The only kid I need to help is myself.” At the end of the month, he will come before the High Court at Dunedin to appeal the prison sentence he received in May. Counsel Kirsten Gray said the legal challenge would be focused on the objectionable-publications conviction. Just months after his 2024 sentencing, Enriquez Ballestero arranged for several boxes of his belongings to be collected from his Christchurch home and sent to Spain. But Customs officials seized the packages, which contained a laptop and seven hard drives, and found 153 illegal images and 10 videos, all featuring young males. rob.kidd@odt.co.nz
