Woman equestrian accused of child sex crimes denies fresh charges

Laken Rose (left) and Andrew Allan Williams have been charged with sexual offending against young girls. Photo / File

New charges have been laid against a woman accused of grooming young girls for sex and being involved in alleged rapes and indecent assaults of the complainants.

Laken Maree Rose, 29, who appeared in the Tauranga District Court today, has denied two joint charges of sexual violation and committing an indecent act.

Rose is jointly charged with her boyfriend Andrew Alan Williams, 52, in relation to the charges which involve allegations of sexual crimes against two girls aged under 16.

Court documents show police alleged the sexual violation happened in Palmerston North and the indecent acts were allegedly committed in Cambridge.

Williams, who appeared in the same court on May 20, is yet to plead to the new charges and sought more time to speak to his lawyer Bill Nabney.

Williams was denied bail to enable police to continue their investigation.

He is due back in court on June 10 to enter pleas to the fresh charges.

The couple, who live in Cambridge, earlier pleaded not guilty to three representative joint charges, one each of indecent assault, unlawful sexual connection and the rape of an 8-year-old girl.

Police say these offences were allegedly committed at a Bay of Plenty camping ground this year.

Police allege Rose groomed the young girls to build trust with them, before encouraging them to engage in sexual activities with Williams, her partner of 10 years.

Lawyer Olivia Brittain entered not guilty pleas to the two fresh charges for Rose and told Judge David Cameron that Rose elected trial by jury.

Judge Cameron remanded Rose on bail to next appear at a case review hearing on July 1.

Laken is well known in equestrian circles in Cambridge and Williams is a regional field manager for a tiling company.