A boy who was sexually abused by a trusted science teacher says he "scrubbed himself bloody" after the offending.
Amadeo Enriquez Ballestero, 45, appeared in the Christchurch District Court yesterday, where he was sentenced to two and a-half years’ jail.
His identity had been kept under wraps since November, but an order for final name suppression was not pursued.
He formed a relationship with the victim and frequently visited his home.
The police summary detailed how he would contact the boy on social media and buy gifts for him, but a charge of grooming was earlier withdrawn.
Enriquez Ballestero was best known for his two decades of work at Otago Museum, where he performed explosive experiments for hundreds of children.
He also taught at Dunedin schools, ran a space programme for teens and travelled to the Chatham Islands to do "outreach" science education.
He abused the young boy for years after they first met at a school interest group the defendant had organised.
The boy and his supporters were at the sentencing yesterday and a statement from the victim detailed how deeply the abuse had affected him.
"You took my spark ... I am so changed, so low, so dark. I battle daily to get my spark back and find who I am," the statement said.
He was paranoid about the defendant spying on him or coming to his home.
He described feeling dirty after the offending and said, "I have scrubbed my skin bloody many times".
Enriquez Ballestero also became close with the victim’s friends and would message them on Snapchat, the boy said.
"His one rule was we could never call the police ... or [tell] our parents," the victim said.
The boy’s mother said she never suspected Enriquez Ballestero was abusing her son and was grateful he was spending time with the boy.
"I felt we were all working together for [the victim’s] best interest," she said.
She said the effects of the crimes were "continuing and devastating".
Between January 2021 and September 2023, the defendant took the victim — often with others — on overnight trips around the South Island during which they would stay in rented accommodation.
On several trips to the Catlins, Enriquez Ballestero, wearing "baggy underwear", would sleep in the same bed as the boy and spoon him.
The crimes also happened in the victim’s Dunedin home.
On one occasion Enriquez Ballestero sucked the boy’s fingers before performing a more invasive sex act.
When police interviewed the defendant in November last year, he admitted kissing, massaging and rubbing the boy’s feet against his face, stating he loved the boy.
Investigators found the man had recorded himself abusing the boy and along with that video were 195 other child-exploitation files.
Counsel Kirsten Gray said her client’s intention was to help the victim, who was struggling to engage with school, but he later became "obsessed and infatuated" with him.
"It has been a spectacular fall from grace," Ms Gray said.
She advocated for a sentence of home detention as her client had previous good character, had done 500 hours’ volunteer work and paid the victim’s family $10,000.
He had also done "an incredible amount of work around his offending" with a psychologist, she said.
She also said Enriquez Ballestero had already suffered the loss of his job, reputation and residency.
But Judge Gerard Lynch said the offending still needed a stern response.
"People placed trust in him exactly because of his good reputation and his standing in the community," the judge said.
"Mr Enriquez Ballestero inserted himself into the victim’s life, and really took on the role as some sort of father figure."
Enriquez Ballestero was automatically registered as a child sex offender.
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