Risk Taking.

A Napier man Richard Miller, 45, is facing a charge of behaving threateningly, two charges of indecent acts with a girl under 12, two of abducting a girl under 12 for sex, three charges of raping a girl under 12, indecently assaulting a girl over 16, supplying cannabis oil, and two charges of unlawful sexual connection with a girl under 12 ... Miller was arrested on September 19 after he was seen with a six-year-old girl in a car parked in a Napier park ... Miller's family had sent abusive texts to the mother of one of his alleged victims.

Judge Bridget Mackintosh said Miller's lawyer would find it difficult to organise a defence case if Miller remained at Hawke's Bay Prison.

This has not constituted a problem in the past, after all 20 miles does not seem an insurmountable hurdle in preparing a defence.

She felt electronic bail would minimise the risk of further offending and was "a viable alternative to custody".
She granted Miller electronic bail to live at his home in Pirimai, Napier.

Given the described circumstances, it seems the reason given does not warrant home detention nor the rather obvious risks involved in this ... and it certainly shows no consideration for the feelings of the victims and their families.
Additionally, it is quite common that imminent incarceration realises a surge in offending ... particularly for sexual offences.
If home detention results in further offending I am sure the judge will unreservedly accept full responsibility for this.