WARNING: This story discusses rape and sexual assault and may be distressing for some readers
A businessman experienced a switch in personality after stopping his medication and becoming obsessed with opposing the Government’s Covid-19 mandates.
He became “arrogant and disrespectful” and his behaviour grew “crazy”. Soon after, as his deterioration continued, he launched a series of sex attacks on a woman.
At least, that’s what the Crown alleges in the trial of the Taranaki man, who has interim name suppression as he defends seven counts of indecent assault, four of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, three of sexual violation by rape and one of attempted sexual violation.
On Monday, on the first day of the trial in the New Plymouth District Court, Crown prosecutor Rebekah Hicklin told the jury the alleged offending occurred between November 1, 2021, and January 25, 2022.
It was shortly after the Government announced its Covid-19 workplace vaccination legislation in late October, and the defendant developed a strong opposition to the mandates.
Hicklin said he became “caught up” in the anti-mandate protests, sinking much of his time and money in to the cause.
“Around the same time he stopped taking his pain medication for his back injury and his personality changed,” Hicklin said.
The man became controlling towards a woman he knew and, on multiple occasions, he sexually assaulted and raped her, Hicklin alleged.
She told the jury the complainant was honest and sincere and said the Crown evidence should result in guilty verdicts on all charges.
But in his opening address to the jury, defence lawyer Nathan Bourke said his client was not a “Covid-crazed monster” who had repeatedly raped the woman.
Bourke said sexual activity occurred between the two but on every occasion it was consensual.
It was “completely denied” that the man forced himself on the woman and that she had tried to fight him off.
The complainant had been “egged on” by others in her complaints to police and her initial “vague” allegations had snowballed, Bourke claimed.
He reminded the jury that the man was not on trial for his views on the Covid-19 vaccination but rather serious sexual offending.
“And he is innocent.”
Following the openings, the complainant was the first of the Crown’s 10 witnesses called to give evidence.
While on the stand, her police interview was played to the jury.
In it, the woman said at the peak of the pandemic, he became deeply involved in the anti-mandate protests and described him as growing “crazy”.
He became “arrogant and disrespectful”, she said.
The man threatened her, followed her and made demands of her, the woman said in her interview.
The trial is set down for four days and will continue tomorrow.
SEXUAL HARM
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, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:
• Call 0800 044 334
• Text 4334
• Email support@safetotalk.nz
• For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz
Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list.
If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.
By Tara Shaskey
Open Justice multimedia journalist
