Former top cricketer Jason Robert Trembath faces new sex-related charges

A former top cricketer is facing new sex-related charges against nine further women, police say.

The new charges, all of a sexual nature, relate to alleged attacks on nine further women in public places in Hawke's Bay and Rotorua between September and November 2017.

Jason Robert Trembath will appear in the Hastings District Court this morning.

Trembath previously captained Rotorua cricket club Central's premier side and played for the Bay of Plenty senior team. He has most recently played for Taradale in Hawke's Bay.

"We know these events have been unsettling for the Hawke's Bay community, and we want to thank the victims for their courage in reporting these alleged attacks," Hawke's Bay Area Commander Inspector Dave Greig said.

"We also want to thank the wider community for their assistance during this investigation.

"The community can be assured that police have taken these events very seriously and have worked hard to ensure that the victims have been provided with appropriate support.

"The investigation team have worked diligently to gather evidence in respect of each reported attack, and while we are very pleased with the progress made to date, the investigation remains active.

"We urge anyone who may have experienced something similar in Hawke's Bay or Rotorua, but not yet reported it, to contact us."

Trembath's name suppression lapsed this week in relation to him facing charges of sexual offending against two women in Hawke's Bay.

He was accused of indecently assaulting a woman who was walking her children on Burns Rd in Napier on November 5 and sexually violating a woman on Iona Rd in Havelock North, also on November 5.

He was arrested and charged on November 10 after police released CCTV footage of a "person of interest" to the public as part of an investigation into reports of women being grabbed while walking in public places.

He appeared in the Rotorua District Court at the end of November where Judge Greg Hollister-Jones declined a request for interim name suppression.

However, Trembath's lawyer Harry Edward indicated he would appeal any decision to lift name suppression to the High Court.

An appeal was filed but abandoned last week by his Napier lawyer Nicola Graham.