Many parents and teenagers have been worried after revelations that a man wanted for failing to appear in court to face sex offence charges, was arrested on Waiheke.
Brad Bowers was arrested by Waiheke police on Wednesday last week, after he failed to appear in Christchurch District Court in March on a charge of showing indecent material to a young person in Christchurch.
Bowers did not enter a plea when he appeared in the court in Christchurch on Tuesday and he has been remanded in custody until the next hearing on 13 September.
Since June, the 28-year-old European of “solid build” had been volunteering at Artworks Theatre under the name Cody Harris.
Police have confirmed no charges have been laid in relation to incidents on Waiheke.
Concerns in the community have been heightened because Bowers helped with recent Kaleidoscope Performance productions at Artworks Theatre.
About 100 children aged from four upwards are involved with Kaleidoscope.
Bowers has sent Waiheke teenagers messages on Facebook and has taken videos of young people rehearsing for shows.
It is understood that he was arrested after a Waiheke father and theatre volunteer connected a photo of a man wanted in Christchurch with the man who was helping at Artworks under a different name. • Rose Davis
