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Allegations of Sexual
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NZ Herald A senior policeman acquitted of
raping a 13-year-old girl could still face dismissal from the force as his
conduct is scrutinised in an internal review. The South Island officer, whose
name is suppressed, was found not guilty this week of raping the girl after a
trial by jury in the High Court at Christchurch. Two other rape charges against him
were dropped during the trial, in which the Crown alleged the girl sometimes
slept in the officer's bed and that he sent dozens of text messages to her on
certain days. In a hearing after the verdict,
trial judge Justice Graham Panckhurst said the nature of evidence gave him
pause before granting the officer name suppression. "I shall not go into the
detail of that evidence. It is sufficient to say that some of the conduct in
which the accused had been involved did impress me as being a matter of
legitimate public interest, particularly for someone who is a serving police
officer." Inspector Neil Banks confirmed
that an internal investigation into the officer had been launched after
accusations were made against him. The officer has been suspended on
full pay, but the police officers' union wants to see him returned to work. Mr Banks said police shared the
concerns expressed by Justice Panckhurst. But it was still to be established
what accusations could be proven and what action could be taken in an
employment investigation. If "disgraceful" conduct
was proven, the policeman could face a censure or dismissal from the police. NZ Herald Suppression has been lifted on the
occupation of a serving police officer who was acquitted after an eight-day
sexual violation trial in the High Court at Christchurch on Wednesday. Justice Graham Panckhurst heard
submissions from Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway and defence counsel Bryan
Green before lifting the order, which had been in place since the 43-year-old
was first charged. Radio NZ A South Island police officer has
been acquitted of raping a teenage girl after a two week-long trial at the
High Court in Christchurch. The officer has permanent name
suppression to protect the identity of the child involved. Justice Graham Panckhurst decided
to lift interim suppression on the occupation of the man today. He said he was concerned, from
evidence that was heard in the trial, by some of the man's behaviour, and
felt it should be a matter of public interest. The senior constable has been
suspended from duty since December 2006 and an internal investigation of his
conduct is ongoing. Stuff Suppression has been lifted on the
occupation of a serving police officer who was last night acquitted at the
end of an eight-day sexual violation trial in the High Court at Christchurch. Justice Graham Panckhurst heard
submissions from crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway and defence counsel Bryan
Green before lifting the order, which has been in place since the 43-year-old
man was first charged. He noted a letter from The New
Zealand Herald seeking an end to the suppression order on the occupation. But he made a permanent order
suppressing the man's name after Mr Stanaway expressed the concerns of the
officer in charge of the inquiry that publication of the name would lead to
identification of his alleged teenage victim. An order suppressing the place
where the alleged events that were the subject of the trial occurred will
also stay in place. The Press The 43-year-old man who
was last night acquitted of rape is a serving police officer. The man was last night acquitted
at the end of an eight-day sexual violation trial in the High Court at
Christchurch. Justice Graham Panckhurst heard
submissions from crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway and defence counsel Bryan
Green about whether to lift an order which suppressed both his name and
occupation. Justice Panckhurst lifted the
order on his profession, which has been in place since the 43-year-old man
was first charged. But he made a permanent order
suppressing the man's name after Stanaway expressed the concerns of the
officer in charge of the inquiry that publication of the name would lead to
identification of his alleged teenage victim. An order suppressing the place
where the alleged events that were the subject of the trial occurred will
also stay in place. The Press A Canterbury man accused of
sexually violating a young girl of low intellect was last night cleared of
the charge. The 46-year-old broke down in
tears and his supporters gasped and hugged each other when the not guilty
verdict was read out in the High Court in Christchurch about 8pm. The man, whose name, occupation
and the place of the alleged offence were suppressed, had been on trial for
the sexual violation of the girl in mid-2006, when she was aged 12. Justice Panckhurst will today
decide whether the man's details, including his occupation, can be made
public. During the eight-day trial, Crown
prosecutor Brent Stanaway described the man, a family friend of the girl, as
forming an obsessional relationship with her and allowing her to sleep in his
bed. The man originally faced three
charges of sexual violation but two were dropped this week. Three News A 46-year-old man broke down in
tears and rushed from the dock after a jury found him not guilty at the end
of an eight-day sexual violation trial in the High Court at Christchurch. A sitting at 12.30pm tomorrow will
decide whether a raft of suppression orders will remain on the trial now that
it is over, Christchurch Court News website reports. The man had denied three charges
of sexual violation by rape involving a girl when she was aged 12 and 13, but
two of the charges were dropped yesterday at the end of the crown case. That left one charge dating from
mid-2006 when the girl was aged 12, on which the jury found him not guilty
when it delivered its verdict at 7.45pm, after a retirement that began at
3.40pm. Family and supporters gasped and
made gestures of thanks, and hugged each other in the courtroom's public
seats while the man left hurriedly for the cells, obviously relieved and in
tears. Justice Graham Panckhurst has left
suppression orders in place on the man's name, his occupation, the location where
the offending had been alleged, and parts of the evidence at trial. Defence counsel Pip Hall asked
that those matters not be decided until tomorrow after he had a chance to
consider his submissions. One newspaper has written a
submission to the court, seeking the lifting of the suppression on the man's
occupation. Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway
and Mr Hall will appear at a brief session before Justice Panckhurst to
settle whether final suppression orders should be made. The man had seen himself as
"a mentor and father figure" to the girl, but the crown alleged at
the trial that he had been infatuated with her. The man said no sexual
contact had occurred and the reasons why she had made false allegations would
emerge at the trial. That evidence cannot be reported. The girl gave her evidence early
last week, by a closed-circuit television link from another part of the Court
House. Stuff A 46-year-old man broke down in
tears and rushed from the dock after a jury found him not guilty at the end
of an eight-day sexual violation trial in the High Court at Christchurch. A court sitting at 12.30pm
tomorrow will decide whether a raft of suppression orders will remain on the
trial now that it is over, Christchurch Court News website reports. The man had denied three charges
of sexual violation by rape involving a girl when she was aged 12 and 13, but
two of the charges were dropped yesterday at the end of the crown case. That left one charge dating from
mid-2006 when the girl was aged 12, on which the jury found him not guilty
when it delivered its verdict at 7.45pm, after a retirement that began at
3.40pm. Family and supporters gasped and
made gestures of thanks, and hugged each other in the courtroom's public
seats while the man left hurriedly for the cells, obviously relieved and in
tears. Justice Graham Panckhurst has left
suppression orders in place on the man's name, his occupation, the location
where the offending had been alleged, and parts of the evidence at trial. Defence counsel Pip Hall asked
that those matters not be decided until tomorrow after he had a chance to
consider his submissions. One newspaper has written a
submission to the court, seeking the lifting of the suppression on the man's
occupation. Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway
and Mr Hall will appear at a brief session before Justice Panckhurst to
settle whether final suppression orders should be made. The man had seen himself as
"a mentor and father figure" to the girl, but the crown alleged at
the trial that he had been infatuated with her. The man said no sexual
contact had occurred and the reasons why she had made false allegations would
emerge at the trial. That evidence cannot be reported. The girl gave her evidence early last
week, by a closed-circuit television link from another part of the Court
House. http://courtnews.co.nz/story.php?id=839 Christchurch Court News After most of a day of closing submissions
and the judge’s summing up, the jury retired at 3.20pm in the eight-day
Christchurch High Court trial of a man facing a charge of sexual violating a
12-year-old girl. The man, who saw himself as “a
mentor and father figure” to the girl, had originally been charged with three
offences against her but two of them were dropped when the crown closed its
case yesterday. He has suppression of his name,
occupation, the location where the alleged sexual violation occurred, and
some other details of the trial evidence. The trial is before Justice Graham
Panckhurst and a jury. The Press Two out of three rape charges have
been dropped against a man accused of raping a young girl. In the High Court in Christchurch,
the man, 46, now faces one charge of rape, reduced from three counts after
legal argument. The man, whose name and occupation
have been suppressed, along with the place of the alleged offending, is
alleged by the Crown to have raped the girl after he became infatuated with
her. She has claimed the man had sex with her once. The defence claims the man was
more akin to a mentor or father figure, who was supportive of the girl's
family. The girl became reliant on him and
formed a close bond. He was devastated by the allegations and her account was
untrue, the defence says. Justice Panckhurst yesterday told
the jury that after discussions with counsel, he had reached the view that
only one charge should remain. Opening the defence case yesterday,
lawyer Pip Hall said the remaining charge alleged the defendant raped the
girl when she was aged 12. "The defence is no rape
occurred then or at any time," Hall said. The accused by his plea of not
guilty denied rape. The trial continues today. The Press The Crown dropped two charges of
sexual violation as it closed its case alleging offending against a
12-year-old girl by a man who says he regarded himself as a mentor and father
figure. The 46-year-old man now faces one
remaining charge of sexual violation by rape, on the seventh day of the High
Court trial before Justice Graham Panckhurst and a jury. The Crown has alleged the man was
infatuated with the girl and would text and call her frequently. She was
described as lonely and isolated. The single rape count relates to
mid-2006. Suppression orders cover the man's name, occupation, the location
of the alleged offending, and some specified details of the trial. Defence counsel Pip Hall said the
defence would call several witnesses. He said the defence case was that no
rape occurred, and that at the time his client had been openly seeking help,
advice and approval from friends, family and health professionals after a
problem arose with the girl. The Press A girl accused a 46-year-old
father-figure of forcing her on to a bed and having sex with her, the High
Court in Christchurch was told yesterday. The teenager, who was then aged 13
and is of low intellect, said sex happened between a man and a women who
loved each other "so much", but the man "did it without asking
my permission". The man, whose name, occupation
and place of alleged offending is suppressed, has gone on trial on three
charges of sexual violation of the girl when she was 13. Justice Graham Panckhurst has
indicated the suppression orders might be reviewed at the end of the trial,
which is expected to take a week. The Crown alleges the man became
infatuated and obsessed with the girl which led to sexual abuse. However, the defence claims the
man was akin to a mentor or father-like figure who had been a tremendous
support to the girl's family. It says the girl had become
reliant on him, and formed a very close bond. "He was devastated to hear
(the complainant) was making allegations ... Her account is untrue,"
said defence counsel Pip Hall. In cross-examination by Hall, the girl,
who gave evidence via a video link from another room in the court, said the
man had sex with her on one occasion. She said she had made a mistake
when she said it had happened twice in one of several taped interviews played
to the court. She denied sleeping with a boy. She said she knew nothing of the
booklets from the Family Planning clinic the man had collected for her or
being given contraceptive pills to take by him. The girl refused to answer
questions by Hall about what the man had done to her but wrote down for Crown
Prosecutor Brent Stanaway that the man had not asked permission and had
forced her onto a bed and "it hurt". She told Stanaway the man bought
her a red rose on Valentine's Day, and took her to lunch on her birthday when
she wore an evening dress he had bought her, sent text messages and took her
on outings. She said she stayed at the man's
house and slept in his bed occasionally. In cross-examination, she said
nothing happened on the occasions she slept in the man's bed and agreed with
Hall she often climbed into his bed because she was scared of the dark. The Press A 46-year-old man formed an
infatuation and obsession with a teenage girl of low intellect which led to
sexual abuse, the Crown alleged in the High Court in Christchurch yesterday. The man, whose name, occupation
and place of alleged offending is suppressed, has gone on trial on three
charges of sexual violation of the girl when she was 13. Justice Graham Panckhurst has
ordered other aspects of the evidence to be suppressed. However, the judge has indicated
the orders may be reviewed at the end of the trial, which is expected to take
a week. At the opening of the trial
yesterday, the accused denied all charges and argued he was a mentor and
father figure for the girl. Defence counsel Pip Hall said the
man had been devastated when he learned that the girl was making allegations
against him. The defence argued the accused had
known the complainant's family for several years and been
"tremendous" support -- particularly to the complainant's mother,
who was having difficulty coping as a single mother with two young children. He helped care for the woman's
children on many occasions when the need arose, Hall said. "(The complainant) became
reliant on him and they formed a very close bond. He described it akin to
mentor or father-like figure. He was devastated to hear (the complainant) was
making allegations ... Her account is untrue." Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway
said the man formed an obsessional relationship with the girl, who was
isolated and lonely at times. The accused frequently bought her
gifts such as flowers, jewellery, soft toys and clothes, including an evening
dress and shoes. She used to visit his home and on
several occasions spent the night. The accused acknowledged in a
police interview that the complainant had slept in his bed while alone in the
house, Stanaway said. That had occurred three or four times. The trial continues today. NZ Herald A senior civil servant accused of
raping a 13-year-old girl operated a system that awarded points to his victim
for certain behaviour, a court has heard. The 46-year-old was seen as a
father figure by his victim, but came to form an "obsessional"
relationship with the girl, who was of below-average intellect, isolated and
"at times lonely", a High Court jury in Christchurch heard. The man is on trial on three
charges of raping the girl between June and November 2006. His name,
occupation and the location of the alleged rapes are all suppressed. Three News A 46-year-old man says he was a
mentor and father figure for an intellectually disabled friend, but the crown
says the relationship with the teenage girl was an obsession which led to
sexual abuse. The man has gone on trial on three
charges of sexual violation of the girl when she was 13, at a trial expected
to last more than a week in the High Court at Christchurch. The crown is expected to call
about 20 witnesses. The girl's evidence is being heard
over a closed-circuit television link from another part of the courthouse. Defence counsel Pip Hall said the
man had been devastated when he learned that the girl was making allegations
against him. Mr Hall told the court: "The
defence case is simply this - the accused did not sexually assault her in any
way at all. "Her account is untrue and
the defence says the reasons why she has made these false allegations should
emerge during the trial." A series of suppression orders on
reporting of the trial were made as it began today. The orders are likely to
rule out reporting of the reasons the defence will allege for false
allegations. The man has interim suppression of
his name, occupation, and the location where the three rapes are alleged to
have occurred. Other aspects of the evidence are also suppressed, but Justice
Graham Panckhurst has indicated the orders may be reviewed at the end of the
trial. Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway
said the man formed an obsessional relationship with the girl who was
isolated and lonely at times. He was a family man who had
separated from his wife but had custody of his two teenage sons. The girl had
sometimes been allowed to stay over at his house, when the two were there
alone. The man bought the girl gifts, had
her around for meals, and became increasingly infatuated, he said. He would text or call her
frequently. Phone logs would show that he phoned or texted her 132 times on
one day when he was away working in Auckland. Mr Stanaway alleged the man texted
the girl, or forwarded messages, from a fictitious girl named Mandy. The messages were
"bitchy" and alarmed the girl. He seemed to have done this to
ensure she maintained contact out of fear and concern. Mr Hall said the man had formed a
close bond with the girl, helped her with school work and sport, and when the
police interviewed him he said he was "akin to a mentor or father
figure". He told the jury: "It is a
matter for you when you hear the evidence, as to whether his description is
correct." The trial is proceeding. Stuff A 46-year-old man says he was a
mentor and father figure for an intellectually disabled friend, but the crown
says the relationship with the teenage girl was an obsession which led to
sexual abuse. The man has gone on trial on three
charges of sexual violation of the girl when she was 13, at a trial expected
to last more than a week in the High Court at Christchurch. The crown is expected to call
about 20 witnesses. The girl's evidence is being heard
over a closed-circuit television link from another part of the courthouse. Defence counsel Pip Hall said the
man had been devastated when he learned that the girl was making allegations
against him. Mr Hall told the court: "The
defence case is simply this – the accused did not sexually assault her in any
way at all. "Her account is untrue and
the defence says the reasons why she has made these false allegations should
emerge during the trial." A series of suppression orders on
reporting of the trial were made as it began today. The orders are likely to
rule out reporting of the reasons the defence will allege for false
allegations. The man has interim suppression of
his name, occupation, and the location where the three rapes are alleged to
have occurred. Other aspects of the evidence are also suppressed, but Justice
Graham Panckhurst has indicated the orders may be reviewed at the end of the
trial. Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway
said the man formed an obsessional relationship with the girl who was
isolated and lonely at times. He was a family man who had
separated from his wife but had custody of his two teenage sons. The girl had
sometimes been allowed to stay over at his house, when the two were there
alone. The man bought the girl gifts, had
her around for meals, and became increasingly infatuated, he said. He would text or call her
frequently. Phone logs would show that he phoned or texted her 132 times on
one day when he was away working. Mr Stanaway alleged the man texted
the girl, or forwarded messages, from a fictitious girl named Mandy. The messages were
"bitchy" and alarmed the girl. He seemed to have done this to
ensure she maintained contact out of fear and concern. Mr Hall said the man had formed a
close bond with the girl, helped her with school work and sport, and when the
police interviewed him he said he was "akin to a mentor or father
figure". He told the jury: "It is a
matter for you when you hear the evidence, as to whether his description is
correct." The trial is proceeding. Otago Daily Times Auckland: A
South Island policeman has been suspended after he was charged with raping a
teenage girl. The senior constable was suspended
in early December and has been charged with sexual violation by rape of a
female aged 12 to 16 years, The New Zealand Herald reported. The man has appeared in court and
was granted name suppression. Police said the charge related to recent
allegations. The newspaper said the policeman,
who has served at least 14 years in the force, was among 28 officers who have
been stood down from duty because they face criminal charges, internal
proceedings or allegations of criminal offending. |
