Allegations of Sexual Abuse


Mt Maunganui Pack Rape Case


4. Verdict  July 2005

 




Newstalk ZB
July 5 2005    2nd report

Shock and tears at pack rape verdicts

Shock and tears have followed today's guilty verdicts at the pack rape trial in Wellington.

A jury of eight women and four men has delivered guilty verdicts on 11 of the 13 charges. The four defendants have between them been found guilty of rape and detaining the woman without her consent.

The jury took 24 hours to reach its decision, following a two-week trial which examined events involving four men in Mt Maunganui 16 years ago.

Newstalk ZB reporter Baden Campbell was in court for the verdicts and says as soon as the female jury foreman began reading them, sobbing could be heard from the public gallery.

Baden Campbell says while the accused themselves have managed to hold it together pretty well, family members have obviously been very shocked at the verdicts.

Suppression orders remain on the identities of two of the accused, but have been lifted on 46-year-old Peter McNamara and 40-year-old Warren Hales.

Sentencing is on August 5.