Prominent Auckland businessman's indecent assault trial begins

The businessman, whose identity is suppressed, is facing a judge-alone trial in the Auckland District Court. Photo / Nick Reed

A prominent Auckland businessman accused of indecently assaulting a female employee told her he would help make her famous, a court has heard.

The man, whose identity has been suppressed by the court, is charged with two counts of indecent assault and is on trial before Judge Eddie Paul in the Auckland District Court.

The businessman, who has ties to the media industry, is accused of indecently touching the woman on two occasions during April 2015 - once in his car and again at the office.

The employee, who worked as a manager, told the court her boss had initially treated her like a daughter before he "started humiliating me" in front of staff.

During the first alleged incident the businessman was travelling with the woman to Auckland's North Shore when he reached over and groped her breast in the car, the court heard.

The woman said her boss then apologised and told her to "just pretend that nothing has happened".

Later in the company's office, the businessman again made an advance and grabbed the woman's breast, the court heard. She said she pushed his hand aside and ran away.

"I never wanted him to touch me," she said.

The woman added that the businessman again tried to apologise and said to her: "I don't know why I did that. Even I don't know why I did that."

She added that the "influential" man had told her: "I want to make you famous, you've got potential."

Two months after the alleged incidents and two days before a public event involving the company, the woman resigned but said the businessman wouldn't accept her resignation.

She said he would "insult me in front of my team members".

"He would humiliate me in front of everyone."

She said "it took a lot of courage" for her to come out and lay a complaint with police about her boss.

"I didn't have any idea about how to go about this ... I was quite scared as well."

Under-cross examination from the businessman's lawyer, Paul Dacre, QC, the woman said she hadn't talked to anyone else at her company or her husband about the incidents prior to alerting police.

A second complainant is expected to give evidence tomorrow when the trial continues.