Couple convicted of indecent acts, supplying drug to teen by Auckland jury

The case began on Monday. Photo / 123rf

Warning: Graphic content

A divorced couple accused of supplying drugs and committing indecent acts on a teen have been convicted by a jury in Auckland District Court tonight.

The man was convicted on all charges: three of committing an indecent act on a young person and three charges of supplying a Class B controlled drug.

The woman was convicted of two indecent act charges and one charge for supplying a Class B drug, and was found not guilty on two other charges.

The survivor, who was 15 at the time of the offending and is now 30, shed tears of relief as the jury’s verdicts were read just after 6pm.

Over the course of the trial she was asked whether she had “made up” the claims to get back with her ex or to get attention and was accused of “not being the victim” she had made herself out to be.

Alongside her evidence, the survivor’s father, brother and ex-boyfriend also testified in support of her and evidence from a hair sample taken after she went to the police confirmed the existence of MDMA in her system over the time period.

Earlier in the week the jury heard evidence she was given MDMA once at a sports event, and twice at the pair’s home, all of which the male defendant has been convicted of. The female defendant was convicted on two of those charges and found not guilty on one.

In footage from her police interview, the victim said on the second occasion she took the drug at their home and proceeded to take a shower because she was sweaty.

When she walked out again, she said they had lit coloured candles and started suggesting “weird things” to her, including “threesomes” and saying they had a special connection with her.

On the next occasion, the teen was at their house again and although she really didn’t want to take the pill, they were “pushing for it”, she said to the police interviewer.

Later she said he told her taking the drug would “completely cure” her shoulder and said they told her it would help her father, who had been suffering a lot of pain.

When recounting this on day two of the trial she became emotional and said they knew it would have been a “tough point” for her as she had promised that if she ever won an event in her sport, she would pay for her father to get surgery.

On the third and final occasion, the victim said she took three and a half pills and both she and the woman had a bath together and he sat on the toilet with the lid down.

After this, she said he massaged her breasts, pelvic area and put his penis in between her upper thighs.

In closing arguments, lawyers for both defendants alleged the victim was unreliable because of inconsistencies between some of her interviews over the past 15 years.

However, Crown lawyer Claire Paterson told the jury differences between the interviews that could be pointed to were only the “tiniest” nitpicking details.

She said the victim faced “dire consequences” for her claims over the past 15 years, yet she still stood by them.

The pair are due to be sentenced next month in Auckland.

Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers social issues including sexual assault, workplace misconduct, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.