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Allegations of Abuse
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The Far North woman who says a
police officer raped her 18 years ago, claims police did not take a statement
from her even though she laid a complaint within hours of the incident. The accused faces a total of eight
charges including rape, assault and unlawful sexual connection, which refer
back to the alleged incident in 1988. The police investigation was re-opened
in 2004. The trial began in the Auckland
District Court on Monday and both the former officer's name and the victim's
name have been suppressed. In court on Tuesday the woman said
she reported the attack the following day to a superior of the accused who
came to visit her. She said the officer assured her he was dealing with the
complaint and asked her not to tell anyone else about the incident. She said she believed the officer
until she saw the accused in uniform and in a marked police car. However, the defence for the
former officer told the court the woman had a conversation with friends about
being handcuffed during sex, before the alleged attack. In cross examination defence
lawyer Gary Gotlieb asked the complainant whether she had been part of a conversation
about a scene on LA Law where a woman was handcuffed during sex. She replied
she had overheard the conversation but had not contributed to it. The woman alleges the former cop
handcuffed her then took her into the police station where he worked, before
raping her four times. The woman suggested the accused
overheard the conversation, giving him the idea. The man has admitted having sex
with the alleged victim at the Kaitaia station, for which he was removed from
the force, but denies it was rape. |
