A Waikato dominatrix has been found guilty of kidnapping and demanding with menaces after a 43-year-old man was taken to a dungeon and allegedly beaten for money.
Gina Maria Davies, 32, of Horotiu, and co-accused Damien Andrew Lawson, 27, and Anthony Noel Harwood, 50, faced charges of kidnapping and injuring
with intent to injure. Lawson and Davies also faced a charge of demanding with menaces.
A Hamilton District Court jury took 10 hours yesterday to find Lawson guilty of kidnapping and Davies guilty of kidnapping and demanding with menaces. It could not agree on all charges against Harwood and the remaining charges against Lawson and Davies.
In summing up, Judge Robert Spear said the "sorry saga" began when the trio mistook the man, who has name suppression, for David Mills, who owed Davies money.
On August 25, Lawson took the man to Davies' house. He was taken to her dungeon and allegedly beaten with a baseball bat. The man took out $500 from a Ngaruawahia money machine and gave it to Davies. He was forced to sign a note saying he owed a further $1500 before they let him go.
There is a possibility of a retrial on the hung verdicts.
