Abuse in care: Trial of three former Kingseat boys' home staff begins

Warning: This story contains references to sexual, physical and emotional abuse

• A trial is underway in which the Crown alleges a South Auckland home for vulnerable boys was the scene of physical and sexual abuse for nearly a decade.
• The eight complainants were all boys aged between six and 17 years old when the alleged abuse occurred. They are now adults.
• The defence lawyers for the three former staff members say the allegations are false and questioned the complainants' credibility.

A trial is underway in Auckland over alleged historical abuse at a home for vulnerable boys in state care, once housed within a rundown part of the former Kingseat psychiatric hospital.

Three former staff members from the south Auckland home have pleaded not guilty to multiple criminal charges in Manukau District Court.

The eight complainants were all boys aged between six and 17 years old when the alleged abuse occurred. They are now adults.

The Crown alleges the home for boys from troubled backgrounds was the scene of physical and sexual abuse for nearly a decade.

Crown prosecutor Charlie Piho told the jury the case was about abuse the boys in state care said they suffered in a home where they were supposed to be looked after.

"Things that some of the boys who lived there would not forget as adults over a decade later, things that some of the staff members did to these boys, staff members who had been entrusted to care for these boys in state care. Things that stayed hidden away for many years."

The home was run by Tirohonga Hou Mo Nga Rangitahi Charitable Trust in part of the former Kingseat hospital, near Spookers, before moving to a house and garage in Pukekohe.

It took in vulnerable boys by court order and was under contract with CYFS, now named Oranga Tamariki.

The abuse was alleged to have happened between 2005 and 2014 and much cannot be reported due to suppression orders.

The prosecutor told the jury it would be "unpleasant" to hear the abuse allegations, which included sexual and physical abuse, one teen refusing to have sex with a defendant who then urinated on him, and other instances of boys being punched, tied down or made to strip off their clothes as punishment for not doing what they were told.

Last year, the police arrested four people - two men and two women - following a two-year investigation that was a result of a complaint from Oranga Tamariki. One of the women is not standing trial.

Piho said the eight men found their voices as a result of the police's two-year investigation into abuse in care.

"The majority of the boys who were abused while they stayed at one of the two residences, they didn't tell anyone what happened to them at the time and for those who did try to seek help from others, it only led to dead ends - nothing came of it," he said.

"Several of the boys also ran away from the boys' home on more than one occasion."

None of the defendants can be named for legal reasons.

Defence lawyers for the three defendants said their clients deny the alleged abuse and asked the jury to consider the reliability of the complainants.

Lawyer Oliver Troon represents one of the two men charged and urged the jurors to dispassionately assess the case.

"Allegations of this nature, historic and in state care do inspire sympathy and or prejudice by their very nature. You are not to entertain those emotions."

Lawyer Susan Gray represents the woman standing trial and questioned the complainants' credibility.

"They have to be truthful and they have to be reliable. The Crown case relies on you being satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the complainants they are going to call are both truthful and reliable.

"For reasons which will unfold during the trial...I say they are not. They are not truthful, they have a very distant relationship with the truth."

Lawyer Devon Kemp represents another of the two men, who faces three charges relating to one complainant, and told the jury the allegations were either made up or the man was mistaken about what happened.

Piho told the jury they would hear evidence from each of the eight complainants during the trial.

He said a critical issue in the trial would be whether they were sure that each compainant was telling the truth about the alleged abuse.

"You may come to the conclusion that these were boys and young men who were largely forgotten about by society and out of view and that's what they're here to tell you about over the coming weeks," Piho said.

"The Crown says when you see and hear all the evidence a clear picture will emerge for you, a picture where troubled boys were brought into the care of a boys' home that was designed to look after them.

"But instead, over many years and many boys, the people who were meant to look after these boys took advantage of them and abused them."

It was a new start for the trial, which began last week with 10 complainants, but was aborted after one day because the Crown prosecutor declined to give evidence for some of the charges, which numbered 31; there are now 18 charges.

The trial is set down for five weeks before Judge Yelana Yelavich.

Where to get help:

If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

• If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone call the confidential crisis helpline Safe to Talk on 0800 044 334 or text 4334. (available 24/7)
• Male Survivors Aotearoa offers a range of confidential support at centres across New Zealand - find your closest one here.
• Men and Trauma New Zealand: 0800 636 263
• Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list.

If you have been abused, remember it's not your fault.