A Moment In Crime - The Patron, Part One: Inside the crimes of James Wallace

Sir James Wallace appears at the Auckland District Court. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Over summer, we’re revisiting some of the biggest and best podcast series from the NZ Herald network throughout 2023.

Today, we’re revisiting A Moment In Crime: The Patron. The three-part special of the monthly true crime series delves into one of the most high-profile and scandalous sex abuse trials this country has seen.

Until his spectacular fall from grace, Auckland rich-lister James Hay Wallace, 85, was considered one of the biggest supporters of New Zealand film and art.

The flamboyant philanthropist lived a life of opulence and spread his fortune - estimated at around $170 million - generously among up-and-coming musicians, writers, actors, dancers and community groups.

He amassed a collection of art like no other in this country, sharing his pieces in notable buildings like the Supreme Court and Pah Homestead, where they could be viewed and enjoyed by all Kiwis.

Wallace was respected, revered - and even knighted.

But behind the money and resplendence, Wallace was a serial sex offender who lured men to his mansion on the premise of discussing funding proposals or helping with projects or careers and abused them when they least expected it.

In February 2017 the Herald broke the story that Wallace had been charged with indecently assaulting a young man who had been living at Rannoch, his stately home.

An almost-blanket suppression order was in place preventing the defendant from being identified and until this year he could only be referred to in coverage of his case as “a prominent businessman”.

Wallace photographed before his arrest when he was still referred to as Sir James. Photo / Doug Sherring

The day of his debut in the Auckland District Court he told Herald journalist Anna Leask that any accusation that he sexually assaulted someone was “completely truthless”.

“It’s not going to come to anything,” he stated.

“There is absolutely no substance to it, it is a completely vicious blackmailing effort, which is not going to succeed.

“It’s incredibly unfair. It’s horrible to have this . . . truthless accusation hanging over my head. This could affect my personal reputation and my ability to help the organisations I am involved in.

“It’s a pack of lies.”

He said was confident that the charge “would never come to anything”.

But in March 23, 2021, a jury found him guilty of the charge - and of sexually assaulting two other men who had come forward after that initial court appearance.

He and his house manager Mustafa Yikar were also convicted of multiple attempts at bribing the first victim to stop him from testifying in court.

Well-known entertainer Mika X also pleaded guilty to his involvement in one of the bribery attempts.

Mika X in court the day he was sentenced after he admitted being part of a plot to bribe one of Wallace's victims to pull his police complaint. Photo / Pool

Wallace’s case took years to resolve with multiple trial dates - one delayed, one aborted and the case then moved to the High Court at Auckland.

After he was sentenced he continued to fight to clear his name, mounting various appeals to keep his identity suppressed and himself out of prison.

But ultimately, prison is where Wallace ended up - and where he belongs for his 16-year period of offending.

A Moment In Crime - The Patron tells the story across three episodes of Wallace’s life, crimes, court case and the impact it had on the victims and wider community. Part Two and Part Three are available now on all podcast platforms.

You can listen to all three episodes and the back catalogue of A Moment in Crime on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

These episodes of A Moment In Crime deal with sexual offending and are intended for a mature audience.

If you need help, or you are worried about someone else, there is a list of crisis and support agencies at the end of this story.