Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
End of dialog window.
This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.
Autoplay in
4
Disable Autoplay
Cancel Video
Whanganui MP Chester Borrows has appeared in the Whanganui District Court this morning on a charge of careless driving causing injury.
A protester posted a photo on Facebook of a plastic sex toy with 'Paula B' written on it and a photo of Minister Paula Bennett captioned "see you shortly b****", a court heard today.
The social media post, with the expletive word in capital letters, was made just prior toa Trans-Pacific Partnership protest in Whanganui last year.
The trial of Whanganui MP Chester Borrows on a careless driving charge stemming from the protest is underway at the Whanganui District Court.
Mr Borrows allegedly drove over the foot of a protester as he was leaving a breakfast at the Collegiate Motor Inn in Whanganui with Ms Bennett.
Members of the protest group have been giving evidence this morning.
All Access. All in one subscription.From $2 per week
Borrows' lawyer Nathan Bourke said Phillip Reweti's post and behaviour was vulgar.
"You chose to link a photo about Minister Bennett being told a bit of sexual violence didn't hurt anyone and your addition to that was the text 'see you soon b****'.
"You've said you protest for a number of causes. Do I take it that women's rights are not one of those?"
Mr Reweti said he was unsure whether he had the dildo on hand at the time the car drove past.
"The police had told me not to show it or anything. I think I left it in the car at the time, otherwise I'd be arrested," he said.
"I think I called out to Ms Bennett I have a present for her."
Earlier fellow protester Tracey Treadwell told the court the group began to arrive outside the Collegiate Motor Inn with the intention to protest the TPP as they knew Borrows and Minister Paula Bennett were there.
Their intention was to get their signs and message seen by the two MPs.
Ms Treadwell said the group moved towards the driveway when they saw Borrows' vehicle about to leave.
"We had the placards and we just moved in formation to the footpath area at the end of the driveway," Ms Treadwell said.
"The police didn't at any time say this wasn't allowed or to move.
"The car just came down the driveway. We were expecting it to stop and which case we were expecting the Police to ask us to move. However, the car didn't stop."
Video of the protest taken by the Wanganui Chronicle.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
End of dialog window.
This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.
Ms Treadwell said her knee was struck by the car and her foot was run over as a police officer pulled her away.
"I think I squealed rather loudly," she said.
"He just grabbed and pulled me to safety. It wasn't an unusual use of force."
Borrows' lawyer Nathan Bourke suggested the only reason a police officer would move a protester out of the way was if they were doing something wrong.
Mr Bourke said a police officer had seen Ms Treadwell was moving back towards the vehicle and that Ms Treadwell's acknowledgement that she was in shock meant her recollection of events might differ.
"Don't you think that the person in shock would be more likely to make a mistake than the experience police officer?"
Ms Treadwell was taken to hospital following the incident but Mr Bourke asked why she had declined painkillers if she was in pain.
"That's a personal choice of mine. That's not a reflection of my level of pain. That's a reflection of me as a person," Ms Treadwell said.
Denise Lockett told the court 'horror flooded all the way through me' as the car drove through the group.
"I thought, 'you're going under girl'."
Mr Bourke said members of the protest group were acting obscenely which both Ms Treadwell and Ms Lockett acknowledged.
"We had a large wooden flag, a dildo and violent language being used. It was obscene enough for you approached [one of the protesters] and told her to cut it out," he said.
The trial before Judge Stephanie Edwards is expected to take two days.
