Worth scandal: Friend tells of minister, woman and hotel room

Richard Worth. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The woman who laid a complaint with police against Richard Worth says he invited her to Parliament, hosted her in his ministerial capacity then took her to a hotel room he had arranged for her where a sexual encounter took place.

The Herald met the Auckland businesswoman yesterday, but she was too distressed to discuss the incident.

Her friend, who helped her to go to the police, then to the office of National MP Tau Henare so it could tell Prime Minister John Key, outlined her allegation of a serious sexual nature, using a whiteboard to explain the events around the incident.

The incident happened in March, and the woman complained to the police about two weeks ago. She spent several hours with officers yesterday morning.

Dr Worth resigned as Minister of Internal Affairs on Tuesday night. Last night, he refused to comment on the version of events outlined to the Herald and issued a statement through private public relations advisers saying the public should suspend judgment until the allegations were resolved.

"There has been a rush to judgment, on the basis of rumour and speculation, which has been damaging to my political career and hurtful for my family and friends."

He said he was co-operating fully with the police, had not been charged with any offence, and would defend himself vigorously if he were to be charged.

The friend said the woman knew Dr Worth through his long-standing connections with the Korean community.

She is a Korean in her 40s who has been in New Zealand for several years. The friend said she had citizenship.

The friend said she had received a threat from a fellow-Korean since making the complaint, and had reported this to police.

Detailing events leading up to the complaint, he said Dr Worth invited her to a function in Wellington in March, suggesting she could make contacts with his commercial and international network.

She was hosted at the Beehive and taken to the function by Dr Worth's staff.

He then escorted her back to a hotel he had arranged after earlier telling her, "I'll do the booking-in".

The alleged sexual incident then took place. The friend declined to give details of it because of the police investigation.

The woman and Dr Worth had breakfast together in the morning before she returned to Auckland, the friend said.

He said she told him of the incident in mid-March and he told her that if she was serious, she should go to the police.

She eventually made a complaint about two weeks ago in late May at the Auckland central police station. The friend put the delay down to her gathering her courage to go to the police.

The woman's friend - who says he has known her for five years - said that regardless of the allegation being investigated by police, Mr Key was right to remove Dr Worth as a minister because his actions showed an "agenda" and unacceptable ministerial behaviour.

"John Key had to act," he said. Dr Worth had acted inappropriately by "inviting her to Wellington, inviting her to his office, having his staff accompany her to a function as the minister's guest, meeting her after he delivered his speech and the minister escorting her to the room and staying the night [where the alleged incident took place]."

The friend said "alcohol was involved", from when she arrived at the Beehive.

He said the woman and her community were satisfied with the response from the Prime Minister and police, although neither he nor the woman had heard from Mr Key's office since making the complaint.

The friend said that once the woman made the police complaint, he decided to inform Mr Key, and took her to see Tau Henare's Auckland-based secretary, Alex Sie.

Mr Key has said he learned of the woman's complaint last Tuesday afternoon.

Dr Worth was until recently the chairman of the Korean-New Zealand business council.

His statement said he maintained he was not guilty of any crime.

"There is a well-known principle in New Zealand that a person is presumed innocent until they have been proved guilty.

"At the moment, I have not even been charged with any criminal offence, let alone had the opportunity to defend myself."