Pedophile may be given electronic tag

NSW South Coast businessman Maurice Van Ryn may be made to wear an electronic tag after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting kids.

NSW South Coast businessman Maurice Van Ryn

Maurice Van Ryn may wear an electronic tag after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting kids. (AAP)

Confessed pedophile and Bega Cheese boss Maurice Van Ryn is likely to have to wear an electronic tag so he can remain on bail.

The 59-year-old NSW south coast businessman controversially avoided being sent immediately to jail last week despite pleading guilty to multiple sexual and indecent assaults on children.

And on the condition an electronic bracelet can be organised and his family can secure $700,000 surety, Van Ryn may now also get to spend Christmas with them.

"I think these conditions would satisfy mitigating the otherwise unacceptable risk that he would flee" prior to being sentenced in February, Judge Rodney Madgwick told Sydney's Downing Local Court on Thursday.

He then adjourned the hearing until next week so further inquiries could be made into the logistics of using the device.

Earlier, the court was told Van Ryn was a flight risk because he held property leases in a country with which Australia had no extradition treaty.

But it was also argued he was unlikely to abandon his family, who are standing by him.

The court heard his wife had offered $500,000 surety while his mother was willing to put up $200,000.

The judge suggested that to lessen Van Ryn's ability to abscond, his liquid assets be frozen.

However, defence barrister Steven Hodges said his client did not have access to significant amounts of cash as his money was tied up in property and superannuation.

The court also heard he had an income of $15,000 a month but details of this weren't given.

The hearing was told Van Ryn was undergoing chemical castration in an attempt to stop his urges.

The Tathra businessman preyed on children aged between eight and 16 between 2004 and 2014.

He has pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault, five of indecency and one assault with indecency along with the most serious charge of persistent sexual abuse of a child.

Mr Hodges said there was "minimum risk" of him reoffending while on bail. However, the court heard the businessman had done so already.

An indecent assault was committed against a teenage boy but was not considered a "serious offence".

The decision to grant him conditional bail last week led to the intervention of NSW Attorney-General Brad Hazzard, who said it left him "extremely concerned".

Van Ryn, who was arrested in September, has been committed for sentence at Bega District Court on February 2.

A further hearing will be held on Friday to determine when the case will be heard next week, but Van Ryn will not have to attend.


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