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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
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Four men have been
found guilty of abducting and raping a woman at Mt Maunganui 16 years ago. The men, aged 40, 46,
47 and 53 had pleaded not guilty in the High Court at Wellington to the
charges. Verdicts were returned
just before midday by a jury of eight women and four men. They came at the
end of 12 hours of deliberation, following a two and half week trial. The victim, who is now
37, said that in January 1989, she was lured to a beach hut on the pretext of
having lunch with one of the men, and was raped there. The men said she was a
willing partner in a group sex session. Key details in the
trial have been suppressed. Two of the men were
acquitted of charges of sexual violation with an object. All four men will be
sentenced on August 5. Name suppression was
lifted on two of the men. Peter Mana McNamara and
Warren Graham Hales were both found guilty of abduction and rape, and did not
face any other charges. The names of the other
two men remain suppressed. They were found guilty of rape, abduction and
unlawful sexual connection and one of them found guilty of an extra rape
charge. All four men were
remanded in custody for pre-sentencing reports and sentencing on August 5. |
