A leading figure in the New Zealand entertainment industry is on trial in the High Court at Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner
A leading entertainment figure swiped white powder into a woman’s mouth after she refused the drug, telling her she “might as well have a good time” and her partner didn’t need to know, a High Court jury has been told.
The woman said she felt drugged, under the influence of alcohol, anxious and scared. She said he was “fuming” when she refused his sexual advances.
The woman was giving evidence today in a trial in the High Court at Rotorua where the man is facing 25 charges relating to nine women. The charges involve allegations of rape, sexual assault and drug-related offending.
The Crown alleges the defendant used illicit drugs on some of the women before offending against them sexually.
It is the Crown’s case he used his position in the industry to get what he wanted from women, despite being married. His wife has given evidence in the trial and has said she was “okay” with him having sex with other women as long as he didn’t have relationships with them.
The defence has called the case a “MeToo fest” and says while the man admits doing drugs and having sex with other women, that was the nature of the industry and everyone was doing it.
Lawyer Ron Mansfield KC said his client was popular and he did not need to ply women with drugs and alcohol to get them to have sex with him.
Specific details of the case and names of those involved cannot be reported because the defendant has interim name suppression until at least the end of the trial.
The woman gave evidence today relating to a charge that the man indecently assaulted her at her home.
Under questioning from Crown Solicitor Anna Pollett, the woman said her partner at the time, whom she lived with, was away and the defendant knew that.
He messaged her just after 5am asking if she was awake. The defendant had been out all night. The woman said she had just woken up and was going to do some exercise to make herself feel better after having a few drinks the night before.
The defendant said he needed a ride and asked if she could pick him up.
When she did, he suggested going back to her place and having some drinks.
The woman said they drank some vodkas and the defendant appeared “wired” like he was on drugs.
He offered her some white powder from a clear bag that was in his pocket but she declined, explaining her reasons, which cannot be reported for legal reasons.
But she said despite this, he put two fingers in the bag and then swiped them inside the corner of her mouth.
The woman said she began to feel anxious and went to the bathroom.
When she returned the defendant told her the reason she did not want the drugs in the first place had been “stuffed” up and she “might as well have a good time”.
The woman ended up taking more of the white powder, voluntarily this time.
She consumed about five or six vodkas while she estimated the defendant drank more.
The woman said he asked her for a head massage because he said he had a headache and asked about bedrooms in the house.
He asked her where she slept and she showed him.
Once inside the bedroom, he put a belt underneath the door, which she said was designed to prevent anyone from entering.
The defendant took his clothes off and got into bed while the woman lay on top of the bed with her clothes on.
She said she was still feeling anxious and “pretty scared” because it was clear he wanted sexual intercourse. She said that was not what she wanted but she tried to remain calm. She repeatedly told him her partner would not be happy about it as he was touching her legs and arms with his hands.
She said he kept saying her partner did not need to know.
“If I had been sober, I would have handled the situation different.”
Eventually, the defendant got up, got dressed and “ripped” the belt from under the door and threw it on the bed in an angry manner.
“He was pretty angry. Just fuming,” the woman said.
The defendant then arranged to be picked up by someone else.
The woman said she told her partner hours later who advised she block the defendant on social media.
The woman said sometime later she messaged the defendant to explain how she felt about what he had done to her.
She read the message to the jury which said she trusted the defendant and he took things too far when she had told him “so many times” it was not what she wanted.
“You betrayed [her partner] and I am gutted and disappointed in myself for putting myself in a position like that. I told you so many times how I’d never cheat on him and how if he did I would leave. You might be the person who likes to play up on your wife but that’s not my style at all.”
She told him she could not associate with him any longer.
Some months later the defendant arranged through the woman’s partner to say sorry to her.
He offered to take her to dinner but she did not want to be alone with him so instead she agreed to him coming to their house while her partner was at home.
She said his apology sought to reassure her that if she saw him around she could be safe.
“He said he had ‘mad respect’ for me as a woman.”
The trial, before Justice Layne Harvey and a jury of nine women and three men, has entered its fourth week and is set down for at least six weeks.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.