A woman collecting rubbish from a beach ended up hiding in nearby bushes after a tourist asked for a “selfie” photo with her before allegedly indecently assaulted her.

The woman fled as Jawahar Singh shouted “I love you Kelly” after he’d allegedly tried to kiss her and grab her bottom after she agreed to be photographed with him.

The woman is one of three complainants who were all at Nelson’s Tāhunanui Beach when the alleged assaults happened.

According to the police summary of facts, all three had been approached by Singh and allowed him to take the selfie photos and were then allegedly assaulted on September 28, September 30 and October 1 this year.

Singh entered no pleas to charges of indecently assaulting a female over 16 and doing an indecent act when he appeared in the Nelson District Court today.

The 67-year-old was currently in New Zealand on a tourist visa, and had been due to fly back home today, the court heard.

The woman collecting rubbish on the beach on the morning of October 1 said she was approached by Singh, who offered to help and then asked for a selfie photo.

Singh then allegedly put his arms around the woman and restrained her as he tried to get his phone out.

The woman told police she pushed him away, before allowing him to take the photo at which point Singh allegedly tried to kiss her, grabbed her buttock and said, “I love you Kelly”.

She walked away quickly and hid, but saw him again later at which point he allegedly motioned to her for a hug, rubbed his crotch and said, “Come and kiss me, kiss, kiss, kiss - just one kiss”.

He told police he had not touched the woman and that he was on the beach to pick up rubbish.

Prior to this, on the morning of September 28, Singh allegedly approached a woman walking her dog on the same beach.

He was said to have asked her how to “get back”, and when the woman asked where he allegedly asked her for a selfie photo, then put his arm around her shoulders and then tried to touch her bottom.

On Saturday, September 30, Singh allegedly approached a woman sitting on a log at the beach and asked if he could sit next to her, before asking if he could take a selfie with her.

The woman was said to have agreed before Singh put his cell phone away, before allegedly grabbing her thigh and sliding his hand towards her groin.

The woman tried to leave as Singh allegedly tried to hug her and ask for a kiss before she was able to walk away.

Singh told the police he met females at the beach but didn’t speak to them.

He was remanded without plea on bail to appear in court again next month, with a condition that he was not to be in a public place unless accompanied by an adult, given the nature of the allegations, Judge Jo Rielly said.

Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.