Jury out on alleged 'sadistic' abuse

TRIAL: A jury is now deliberating after a week-long trial in Napier involving alleged sexual offending by Timothy Hebberley. PHOTO FILE

A jury's now out in a High Court trial in Napier for a man accused of "sadistic" abuse and sexual violence against his partner over two-and-a-half years.

Justice Helen Cull has finished summing up the week-long trial of Timothy Hebberley who faces 28 charges.

With most charges representing alleged repeated offending, Hebberley faces one of rape, six of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, seven of injuring with intent, one of assault with intent to injure, four of assaulting a female, two of assault with a weapon, one of kidnapping, two of threatening to kill, three of threatening grievous bodily harm, and one of intimation.

The Crown alleges the 20 year old branded his partner with hot wire, burnt her with lighters, and candle wax, intentionally dislocated her limbs, and locked her in a small room with a dangerous dog for two hours.

It's also claimed he strangled her, assaulted her with a knife, cups, plates and an X-box controller, threatened to kill her, and kidnapped her.

Justice Helen Cull has told the jury this morning that it's for them to decide what evidence they accept or reject, and what weight they put on any evidence.

She said they must put to one side any feelings of prejudice and sympathy towards the complainant or the defendant.

She said Hebberley must be treated as innocent, until the Crown has proven him guilty. The onus is on the Crown to prove his guilt - Hebberley does not have to prove anything, Justice Cull said.

The judge told the jury that the Crown's case is that Hebberley admitted in his police interview that he punched the complainant four times, and kicked her. The defence claim he was only acting in self-defence.

Justice Cull said the defence case is that the accusations Hebberley burnt the woman with candle wax, cigarette lighters, hot wire and intentionally dislocated her shoulders, hips and knees simply did not happen, and all sexual activity was always done with her consent.

She told the jury the Crown's alleges Hebberley purposely locked the complainant in the wash-house with a vicious dog for two hours, while he stood outside and laughed.

She had to climb on top of the washing machine to save from being bitten. The defence say that she shut herself in by accident, but the incident, as she described it, did not happen, Justice Cull said.

Hebberley's also facing two charges of threatening to do grievous bodily harm to both the complainant and her father, after he allegedly held a knife under the man's nose and said "I'll give you such a world of pain, and your daughter."

Justice Cull finished her summing up, telling the jury that they must apply good common sense to their deliberations, and work as a team.

She said they must be unanimous in their 28 verdicts against Hebberley.