A 62-year-old Australian man has been ordered to pay $NZ8000 ($A7100) after indecently assaulting a fellow passenger on a cruise liner off the coast of New Zealand.
Eduard-Laurentia Popeea was on the cruise liner travelling between Brisbane and Auckland in October 2014.
He sexually assaulted a woman he and an associate had been drinking with, including touching her while she slept, when the boat was travelling between Auckland and Gisborne.
Popeea pleaded guilty to the assault, although he maintained it was consensual.
He was sentenced in the High Court at Auckland this month.
The victim said she was drunk and too scared to say no.
The offending had caused significant ongoing effects for her which would take considerable time to resolve, Justice Graham Lang said.
He said the offence normally attracted a jail term of about five months.
However, given Popeea's age and as it was his first offence, this would ordinarily be converted to a sentence of home detention, which wasn't possible because he lived in Australia, Justice Lang added.
He also acknowledged Popeea's wife of 37 years was "fully aware of the incident that gave rise to the charge" and remained supportive of him.
Justice Lang ordered Popeea to pay the victim, who lives in Australia, $NZ5600 in reparation for emotional stress and harm and court costs of $NZ3000.
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