A Nelson teacher has been jailed for sexually abusing children.
Police said they were appalled at the abuse of trust by the teacher, Lawrence Shaw, who was jailed on Wednesday for two years and three months.
Shaw taught throughout the Nelson Bays area as well as in Christchurch and Marlborough over the past 20 years, although his victims were not the children he taught.
Detective Constable Steve Arnold said Shaw worked for a very long time in a field where he was in a position of responsibility over other people's young children and had easy access to them.
Mr Arnold said it was a harrowing experience for the families who came forward with complaints that led to the conviction, and he had the utmost respect for the courage they had shown throughout the trial.
