NZ Deaf Blacks player denies rape accusation, says sex was consensual

Christian Edward Grey is on trial in the Hamilton District Court. Photo / Facebook

A Deaf Blacks rugby player has denied raping a woman but says the pair had consensual sex after he stopped to help her.

Christian Edward Grey, 36, is on trial in the Hamilton District Court for sexual violation by rape, abduction for the purposes of sexual connection and male assaults female, following the alleged incident on November 8 last year.

The court heard today Grey claimed to have refused sexual advances from the alleged victim but when asked by a police detective in an interview if he'd had sex with the woman that night, he answered yes.

Grey said the pair had "rough, messy" sex after which he claims the woman left, he said a karakia or prayer, had a shower and went to McDonald's.

The Crown alleges Grey, who has played internationally for the Deaf All Blacks, took the woman back to his house and raped her after stopping to assist at a car crash she was involved in, at Fairview Downs.

Through an interpreter Grey - who is profoundly deaf - said the woman was drunk and arguing with her boyfriend. The car she had been driving was damaged.

When the boyfriend left Grey says he took the woman back to his sleepout at his nearby home after stopping at an ATM at Five Crossroads.

He told Hamilton Police detective Lee Samphier, in the video interview played to the court, that he didn't know where the woman lived so he told her to call someone to pick her up.

Grey claims the woman tried to kiss him in the car and later in the sleepout but he refused her advances.

He said she stripped off and took his jeans off before straddling him on his bed.

At first Grey said he felt cheap and used at the woman's alleged attempts to have sex.

"She tried to get intimate with me. She tried to have sex with me. I said 'No, I'm not that kind of person'."

Later in the interview he admitted having consensual sex with the woman in various positions.

Grey said the woman, who he claims earlier took off her engagement ring and asked him if he had drugs, then put her clothes back on and left when he went to get her a cigarette lighter.

When it was put to Grey that he punched the woman in the face as they drove in the car, causing a black eye, dragged her to the sleepout and had sex with the woman against her will, he denied that.

"... grabbed her? Hit her? Forced her? Nope, that's ratshit," Grey said.

Grey said he was a church-going person who was focused on getting to the Deaf Rugby World Cup.

"I've done nothing wrong. I know I'm in the right."

The court also heard the alleged victim was assessed by a doctor at 3am the next day who noted a number of injuries including a black eye, abrasions on her neck and left arm, a swollen bruise on the right arm and multiple scratches on the chest and shoulder.

Blood tests showed the victim had 52 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres. The legal driving limit is 50 milligrams.

They also showed evidence she had smoked a small amount of cannabis up to seven hours earlier.

The jury trial, in front of Judge Merelina Burnett, is expected to hear closing arguments tomorrow.