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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
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A woman who won a bet
for a date with a man she was interested in was lured to a secluded spot where
she was pack-raped, a Wellington jury has been told. The woman said she was
expecting a casual, lighthearted lunch at a cafe but the middle-man who
arranged the date drove her to a seaside hut. Four men were waiting inside
and the middle-man followed her in. "I got a hell of a
shock," she said giving evidence in the High Court yesterday. Four men, now aged 40,
46, 47, and 53, have admitted having sex with her at Mt Maunganui in January
1989 but say the woman, who was 20 at the time, was willing. The fifth man
has not been identified, prosecutor Brent Stanaway told the jury. Justice Ron Young has
continued extensive suppression orders including the names and occupations of
the four men, whose trial is expected to take at least two weeks. Each faced charges of
detaining the woman without her consent with intent to have sex with her and
raping her. One of the men faces an
extra charge of rape and two charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual
connection. Another man is alleged to have been a party to one of the
violations, so also faces that charge and another of sexual violation by
unlawful sexual connection. The men pleaded not
guilty to all charges. Mr Stanaway said she
was raped and subjected to various indecencies on a stained old mattress on
the floor. The next day, two of
the men visited her and behaved as if nothing had happened. It was made clear
to the woman in later visits from one of the men that there was little point complaining
because it would be her word against that of the five men. She considered going to
the police but thought her complaint would not be taken seriously because she
had asked for the meeting with one of the men, Mr Stanaway said. A police investigation
began last year. The woman told the
court she had thought the man very attractive and friendly, and believed the
attraction was mutual. She continues giving evidence today. Defence lawyers Paul
Mabey, QC, Bill Nabney, Tony Balme and Rachael Adams said the accused
maintained that the woman consented. Mr Balme said his
client talked about the incident at the time, and when police questioned him
last year he gave a 78-page written statement. The woman would give a
distorted, twisted version of events that would be exposed as lies, he said. Ms Adams said her
client gave a statement saying he did not witness what happened with the
other men but he believed the woman consented to sex with him. |
