Former international umpire pleads guilty to abuse charges

Ian Shine, a former international umpire from New Zealand, has pleaded guilty to the charge of sexually abusing young boys. Shine pleaded guilty to 25 charges at the Auckland high court last week, according to the New Zealand Herald.

Shine, 56, stood in two Women's one-dayers and seven youth internationals between 1997 and 2002. His last international assignment was as third umpire in a New Zealand-Australia Women's ODI in February 2004.

The report said he was arrested in late 2011 by the Counties Manukau police. Further investigations revealed 13 boys identified as having been abused by him over 18 months. He was granted bail, but returned to custody - and remained there till this court hearing - after attempting to meet with one of the victim's mothers.