Psychologist who worked with OT, Youth Court charged with sexual offences against young men

By Sam Sherwood of RNZ

A psychologist with “significant involvement” with young men referred by agencies – including Oranga Tamariki and the Youth Court – is at the centre of a police investigation into alleged historical sexual offending, RNZ can reveal.

It can now be reported that Ban Teik Tan, known as Ricki Tan, is before the courts facing 17 charges. The charges include unlawful sexual connection with a boy aged 12-16 and indecent assault on a boy aged between 12-16.

The charges relate to five complainants and date between 1996 and 2005. Tan has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Tan, a registered psychologist in New Zealand since 1995, has had his practising certificate suspended.

In a statement to RNZ, Tan confirmed police had laid charges of historic sexual offending against him.

“I absolutely deny those allegations. I am innocent.

“Because the matter is before the court, I will not comment further. I respect the role of the court and will defend myself following the advice of my lawyer Ethan Huda, barrister of Christchurch. I request everyone to respect the court process and to avoid any speculation or pre-judgement.”

On Wednesday, Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Baillie said police were appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

“Tan has worked closely with youths and numerous community organisations, over a number of decades, including children referred by other agencies such as Child, Youth and Family.”

Police had contacted 90 people known to have had contact with Tan.

“We are aware that there are potentially many more people, children at the time, who had interactions with this individual. Our priority is to speak with anybody who has been a potential victim of sexual offending.

“We also encourage anyone who has knowledge of possible offending in this context, to come forward. We can also ensure people get the support and help they need.”

Baillie said police wanted to reassure those who come forward that information provided would be treated with “absolute sensitivity and care”.

“Police understand incidents of this nature are incredibly difficult to talk about; Police have support available to those who require it.”

The 63-year-old’s case was called in the Christchurch District Court before Judge Michael Crosbie last month in relation to Tan’s application for continued name suppression. Crosbie declined his application.

However, Tan was given 20 working days to file an appeal in the High Court.

Tan filed an appeal on Friday last week, but on Wednesday he abandoned it.

Crosbie’s judgment, released to RNZ, said Tan had “significant involvement” with young men referred to him by organisations including Oranga Tamariki (OT) and through the Youth Court.

Crosbie said the allegations against Tan were “very much at an early stage”.

“Police enquiries have identified links between Mr Tan and multiple agencies and programmes through which he had access to children and young people. Oranga Tamariki has advised that records identify Mr Tan as having had professional involvement with more than approximately 100 young persons.

“While there is no suggestion that Mr Tan offended against those young persons, having identified the breadth of Mr Tan’s involvement with such persons in his professional role, Police are concerned that there may be further potential complainants and are embarking on a thorough investigation.”

Crosbie said he understood police would be attempting to contact those identified by OT as having had contact with Tan.

At the suppression hearing, Tan’s lawyer Ethan Huda said Tan was seeking name suppression on the ground that publication of his name would give risk to a fair trial.

Huda said there were two unique features of the case. This included that police would be approaching some people with what he referred to as a “scripted questionnaire” to “elicit” information from them.

He said police would identify Tan to the people spoken to as part of their approach.

“Police believe without identifying [the man] they cannot carry out the questionnaire in the way they would like to.”

Huda submitted Tan’s name should not be published until police had finished administering the questionnaire.

He also wanted to know what the questionnaire would say.

In response, Crown prosecutor Courtney Martyn spoke of the approach police were using as part of their investigation and what groups of people police would approach.

Martyn said the defendant had “considerable involvement with a great deal of young people…”

“The police aren’t going around recruiting complainants or recruiting potential complaints,” Martyn said.

She said at no stage would the police be trying to elicit complaints.

“What they’re going to be saying is police are conducting an investigation into [the defendant] and as part of that investigation we are speaking to people who may have had contact with him and we understand you’re one of those people.”

Police would not be discussing further details or specific allegations.

Crosbie said he did not accept that police were “eliciting” complainants in the course of the investigation.

“It is not uncommon for Police to contact individuals who may hold relevant information concerning a person under investigation, particularly in the early information-gathering stages of an investigation.

“In attempting to contact individuals identified as potentially having relevant information, Police are carrying out ordinary investigative functions. Accordingly, I do not accept that this is a “unique” feature of this case.”

He said that even if an individual came forward with allegations involving Tan, police were still required to investigate the complete, properly review the allegations and then ensure there was sufficient evidence to charge Tan.

“It is not as simple as ‘eliciting a complainant’ and them then giving false evidence against Mr Tan.”

Crosbie declined Tan’s application.

Tan was featured in an article on the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) website in 2023 in relation to his role with NZDF’s Youth Development Unit (YDU).

“Originally from Malaysia, Mr Tan is a registered psychologist who has lived in New Zealand for over 40 years. He’s worked in Child Protection, Youth Justice, Youth Forensic Mental Health and Corrections before coming to the Youth Development Unit, based at Whenuapai Air Force Base, in 2014.”

Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive Thomas Ronan earlier told RNZ the agency was made aware by police that they were investigating allegations of historical offending by a 63-year-old man.

“Given matters are before the court, and subject to an active investigation, we are unable to comment further.”

Anyone with information can contact police via 105, referencing the file number 260411/7645.

  This story was first published on rnz.co.nz