Four of the five Magog Motorcycle Club gang members charged with a series of rape offences dating back to the 1970s have been either acquitted or discharged.
Among them is former New Plymouth district councillor Russell Gilmer, 48, who has been found not guilty of two counts of rape and one
of attempted sexual violation.
In the High Court at New Plymouth yesterday, Justice Paul Heath lifted 18-month-old suppression orders that have prevented publication of the names of the accused and any link to the Magogs.
The rape charges, from the 1970s and 1980s, involved 11 women and were originally laid in June 2001.
James William Mahuna Brand, 48, was the only convicted Magog and is serving nine years in jail. He was found guilty of sexually assaulting three women and acquitted in relation to four others.
He was found guilty in relation to the rape of another complainant but that conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal and he was found not guilty at a retrial.
Anthony James Garcia, 43, was acquitted in relation to one woman. He was discharged of rape and indecent assault after a jury was unable to reach a verdict and the complainant said she would not return for a new trial.
Shane Wiremu Growcott, 42, was found not guilty of charges in relation to one complainant and Gilbert Donald Ross Wildbore, 52, who has not been a member of the club since the 1980s, was acquitted on two counts of rape.
Also last week, Brand, Garcia and Growcott were discharged in connection with the gang rape and kidnapping of another woman.
They were originally convicted and jailed but that was overturned by the Court of Appeal and the woman would not return for a new trial.
Club president Steve Morman said the club's executive did not want to comment other than to say the result spoke for itself. The impact of the allegations on members was obvious.
Lawyer Paul Keegan, who represented two of the men, said the trials had taken the better part of three years, had been incredibly stressful "and the net result has been spectacularly unsuccessful".
Detective Sergeant Greg Gray said police had investigated the allegations and had put the charges before a jury.
"For some of the women the result was secondary to the fact they had the opportunity to make these guys accountable."
- NZPA
Four of the five Magog Motorcycle Club gang members charged with a series of rape offences dating back to the 1970s have been either acquitted or discharged.
Among them is former New Plymouth district councillor Russell Gilmer, 48, who has been found not guilty of two counts of rape and one
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