The former political figure (obscured) arrives at court. Photo: RNZ
- A former political figure is on trial, accused of sexually abusing two teenagers in the 1990s.
- The man, in his 50s, has ongoing name suppression but it can be reported he is not a sitting MP.
- The jury has now heard from both of the complainants in this case.
Warning: This story contains details of sexual abuse
One of the men accusing a former political figure of historical sexual abuse has denied their complaint was politically motivated.
The defendant is on trial in the Auckland District Court this week, having pleaded not guilty to nine charges of indecent assault.
The charges related to two male complainants, one who was underage at the time, who say the accused sexually abused them in towns in the Auckland and Waikato regions between 1995 and 1999.
It's the Crown's case the accused "took advantage" of the complainants by giving them alcohol at parties and abusing them when they were drunk.
The man strongly refutes these allegations, his defence lawyer Ian Brookie saying the two men have made the allegations up.
Yesterday, the first complainant said the man touched his penis, put his own penis on the complainant's anus and touched the complainant's anus with his hands.
He told the jury he reported this to the police close to two decades later when he saw the accused in a news article and it triggered a stress response.
"I had to speak the truth and get it out," he told the court.
This complainant has now been cross-examined, and denied making the allegations up because he had been humiliated when he got drunk, vomited and passed out at a sports club event.
Defence lawyer Ian Brookie put to the complainant that he had seen his client in a news article, doing well for himself in his political role, and thought he would be an easy target.
The man said he did vote for a different party but denied his complaint was politically motivated.
Second complainant gives evidence
The jury has now heard from the second complainant in the case, who also knew the defendant through a sports club and described him as a "mentor".
He said the pair would often socialise with other club members and the young man would stay at the defendant's house when he was away and look after his pets.
He told the jury the defendant once gave him a 'nipple cripple' so hard it left bruising; an incident the club later dealt with by way of an apology from the accused.
The complainant then described a social gathering at the defendant's house where a group of younger and older club members drank rum and cokes.
He later vomited outside before putting himself to bed in the defendant's room, fully clothed, because someone else had taken the couch, he said.
"It had been a good night it was safe, or it felt safe at the time. It was normal."
The man said he next remembered being woken up in the bed with the defendant's arm draped over him.
"I pushed it away and swore. I said "fuck off". I don't remember hearing him say a word..until the morning.
"It was strange and eerie. I didn't feel scared, I didn't feel anything sinister or untoward."
The complainant said he then drifted in and out of sleep as the man went on to grab and squeeze his groin, attempt to take his pants off and put the young man's hand on his pubic hair.
He said he moved to the edge of the bed and when the defendant tried to take his pants off again in the morning he got up and left the house.
"From what I can remember that's the first time I heard him speak the whole time. He said come here and give me a hug.
"I went to throw my shoe at him because I had it in my hand. He said don't you throw that shoe at me. I said "fuck off". I didn't throw the shoe. I put the shoe on my foot.. I left the room. Had a shower and got ready to go to the [sports club]."
The complainant said he told his parents what happened in the days after and they eventually went to the police.
The trial before Judge David Sharp and a jury of six men and six women was set down for five days.
Where to get help:
Victim Support 0800 842 846
Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00
HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655 - push 0 at the menu
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) 022 344 0496
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
