'I am telling the truth' - female cop questioned over rape claims at Northland motel

The accused police officer is on trial in the Auckland District Court. Photo / File

The truthfulness of a female police officer who says her colleague raped her in a motel room has been questioned in court.

The accused cop, who has interim name suppression, was arrested after allegations emerged from the night of February 4 last year and early hours of the next day as several officers were deployed to help patrol Waitangi Day events at the Treaty Grounds.

He is charged with indecently assaulting and sexual violating a workmate at a Kerikeri motel. His trial in the Auckland District Court began last week.

Today, the complainant's cross-examination by defence lawyer Paul Borich QC began.

"I am telling the truth," the complainant said, when questioned about her recollection of events.

"I have been honest from the start."

Borich has claimed any sexual contact between the pair was consensual and has told the jury it was a "pre-arranged hook-up".

The criminal complaints, he said, were the result of regret about the night's events, not rape.

Borich said the pair could be seen on CCTV "flirting" with each other.

He suggested the complainant has "tried to sanitise" the two officer's interactions earlier in the night because it "doesn't fit the narrative".

"CCTV catches you out about the nature of the interactions, doesn't it?" he said.

But the complaint replied: "I was extremely thankful that there was CCTV."

Paul Borich QC is defending the accused police officer. Photo / Doug Sherring

The jury has watched CCTV of the accused policeman "creeping" across the motel courtyard and into his alleged victim's bedroom.

He can be seen walking across the motel courtyard at 2.34am and slowly opening the door to the complainant's room.

The complainant told the court she "absolutely did not" hear him enter as she slept. The video also shows he did not knock.

"He's creeping and it's f**king disgusting," the female officer said through tears.

"First thing I knew was when I woke up to pain," she continued. "I was being told to be quiet by [the defendant]."

CCTV from earlier in the night also shows lewd behaviour by several officers staying at the motel, including a senior sergeant getting naked in front of the beer-drinking group.

"The whole motel was kinda taken over by police," the complainant said.

One drinking game the officers played was to chug three beers out of a hollowed police baton, she explained.

Judge Evangelos Thomas is presiding over the trial. Photo / Sam Hurley

The accused officer has been stood down from the police and a separate employment investigation will be conducted, Auckland's Detective Superintendent Dave Lynch has said.

An application to continue interim name suppression has been declined by Judge Evangelos Thomas.

The decision has been appealed and suppression will continue until the challenge can be determined.

Further details about the case have also been suppressed to protect the identity of the complainant.

The trial continues.