A teenage boy who accused his female social worker of having sex with him later told a friend he was lying about the incident, a court has heard.
Alexia Joseph, 30, is on trial before Manukau District Court after denying a charge of having unlawful sexual connection with the then 15-year-old, who she was mentoring at the time.
The defendant had been working as a counsellor for the Waipareira Trust when the alleged incident took place in September 2013. Yesterday, a friend of the complainant said his mate seemed "obsessed" with the woman.
The boy told the jury his mate initially spoke about a sexual liaison but later changed his story.
The complainant constantly talked about Joseph and bragged about "rooting" her but later denied the tryst had taken place, his friend said.
"He said 'nah, yeah, I was lying'. . . He said it with a smile on his face."
After seeing a movie together and visiting the complainants mother, it is alleged Joseph and the teenager drove to a hotel in Mangere where she enticed him into bed with her.
The defence case concluded yesterday and the Crown will close its case this morning.