Man denies raping teenager

Whanganui Courthouse

Mark Anthony Spittal has said allegations he drugged and raped and young girl are false and questioned why he would do it when he had a partner to have sex with.

The 40-year-old's trial in the High Court at Whanganui finished yesterday with Justice Simon France reserving his decision.

Spittal has pleaded not guilty to rape, disabling, injuring with reckless disregard, male assaults female, threatening to kill, indecent act on a young person, two counts of supplying a class C drug to an under 18-year-old, and two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Under cross examination from Crown prosecutor Harry Mallalieu yesterday, Spittal was asked about the night he and the teenage girl stayed in the same house.

He said when the teenage girl came over he set her up in a bedroom with DVDs and "garbage food".

"I said 'if you need any munchies, I'll go to my stash cupboard and get some munchies'."

Spittal said he and two others spent about two hours smoking marijuana in the kitchen while the teenage girl stayed in the room.

"We had the kitchen door shut while we were smoking the spots on the stove," Mr Spittal told the court.

Mr Mallalieu put several of the allegations about what happened that evening to Mr Spittal including that he had crushed up pills and put them in a drink for the teenage girl.

"No. That is a lie. You're lying again," Spittal said.

Mr Mallalieu asked Spittal if he was saying the girl was lying.

"Yes, my friend," Spittal said. "Why would I want to drug someone?"

"Perhaps so you could have sex with them Mr Spittal," Mr Mallalieu replied.

Spittal said: "But I could have sex with [another woman]."

He said that night he slept in another room in the house with another woman and checked on the teenage girl from the door but didn't go in.

But Mr Mallalieu said that was not what was alleged.

"See, the truth is Mr Spittal that you went into that room during the night didn't you? And you shut the door and you jammed it shut with a knife, didn't you?

Spittal said: "No."

Mr Mallalieu said: "So [she] is lying about that is she?"

"All I know, mate, is I had no knife," Spittal said.

"She said you took off her pyjamas. Her boxers. Her pyjamas boxers. And that's what happened wasn't it?" Mr Mallalieu said.

Spittal said: "I didn't do anything mate.

"Why would I want to have sex with a kid when I could have sex with (another woman)."

Mr Mallalieu said the teenage girl had said Spittal put his hands around her throat like he was going to strangle her.

"Was there any injuries? Why would I want to strangle a kid for?"

Justice France's decision awaits the conclusion of another trial.