Kapiti councillor on trial for indecent assault

The woman accusing a Kapiti councillor of indecent assault says she felt awkward and disgusted.

David Scott is standing trial at Wellington District Court where a jury of six women and six men has been selected.

He has pleaded not guilty to the single charge.

Crown lawyer Kate Feltham said the alleged incident happened while the complainant was talking to Kapiti Mayor K Gurunathan at a morning tea after a council meeting in April last year.

She said Scott put his hand on the council employee's hip, who moved to the left thinking someone was trying to get past her

"Instead of doing this the defendant put his other hand on her left hip, holding her with enough force so that she couldn't move forward."

Feltham said Scott then pushed himself against the employee moving along her body.

The complainant said when she felt this she looked over her shoulder and Scott then let go of her and moved away.

She said she didn't want to make a scene at the time of the alleged incident.

"The role of public servants is very important. We have to have a respectful neutral relationship with our elected members."

The employee said Scott spoke to her beforehand, after she got a plate of sausage rolls.

"He suggested that women shouldn't be eating sausage rolls, they should be eating salad", she said.

The employee told an HR manager about the alleged incident, the council chief executive and later spoke to police.

She emailed Scott telling him his behaviour was totally unacceptable and she was no longer prepared to deal with him directly.

Scott responded offering his apologies for any action that may have upset her.

"I have the greatest respect for women", he said.

Scott also said he wished the employee had said something at the time because he would have explained that he had undergone a recent operation on his genitals which made any contact in that area extremely painful.

Under cross examination the employee rejected what she felt pressing into her could have been a wallet, phone or insulin kit, rather than male genitalia.

Defence lawyer Mike Antunovic said the staff member had exaggerated what she said happened as Scott passed by her.

He suggested there were about 26 people invited to the morning tea and there was congestion around the food tables, especially during the early part of the break.

The employee said she remembered about a dozen people in the room at the time of the alleged incident and she left about halfway through the morning tea.

Crown witness Kapiti mayor K Gurunathan said there were a lot of people there.

"But it was not unduly crowded like a Mumbai train".

Gurunathan said he saw Scott in his peripheral vision moving behind the complainant and momentarily stop.

"He seemed to have his hands down, his head was titled downwards."

Gurunathan said the employee seemed angry when she turned to her left.

"She was shocked, I think a number of emotions went through her face."

Another council employee told the court she saw Scott put his hands on the hips of the complainant.

She said he was extremely close and she did not see a reaction from her colleague.

"She didn't do anything, she was absolutely stone still."

The crown witness said there was enough room for Scott to get around the complainant without being that close.

The trial is set down for three days.