A young male backpacker has described how he awoke one night to find Northland hostel owner Michael Harris in bed with him and says he afterwards felt "dirty" and "weird." Michael harris at the time of his arrest The young man, who returned to New Zealand to give his victim impact statement at what was to have been Harris's sentencing in the High Court at Whangarei on Friday. Sentencing was postponed due to issues surrounding Harris's property. Harris had earlier pleaded guilty to 14 of 42 charges relating to drugging, indecently assaulting and photographing his victims. The NZ Herald has this morning carried a report of the unnamed backpacker's statement, including how he came to be at the backpacker's lodge, how he was groomed by Harris - whom he came to see as a father figure, and his shock at discovering he was not the only victim of Harris's offending.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 3rd December 2016 - 8:06pm