Victim was ‘broken and helpless’

A birthday nail party descended into a night involving methamphetamine, alcohol, and the abduction and torture of a young woman, the Crown’s star witness in the Dome Valley kidnapping trial said.

Jaclyn Keates has admitted and been sentenced for her role in the attack.

She gave evidence yesterday of witnessing the alleged attack, including her memory of the complainant appearing ‘‘broken and helpless’’.

Cameron Hakeke, Michelle Blom, Julie-ann Torrance, Nicola Jones and Wayne Blackett have all denied various charges relating to two incidents where the Crown says a 19-year-old was kidnapped and subjected to various assaults.

The five are accused of varying roles in the two separate attacks, and Torrance and Jones have denied charges of attempted murder in relation to the final abduction where it’s alleged the complainant nearly died from a hammer attack.

Prosecutors allege the victim was also subjected to a vicious sexual assault, which they claim was master-minded by Jones following her suspicions the complainant, who can’t be named, had an affair with her boyfriend.

Giving evidence at the High Court at Auckland, Keates said she attended a birthday party for Blom’s flatmate Leesa Harris, at their Great North Rd, Kelston, property.

They were joined by Jones and Torrance and they all smoked methamphetamine before driving into Auckland city, she said.

‘‘I was quite impaired from the amount of alcohol and drugs, and quite scared,’’ she said.

‘‘I had an eerie feeling. I just didn’t feel very comfortable in the car.’’

At some point during the evening they pulled onto a central city street where Jones got out of the car and returned with the complainant, pushing her into the car.

En route back to the Kelston address the women began assaulting the complainant, including Keates, who said she didn’t know why but she joined in with the assaults.

The women were abusing the complainant for being disloyal, she said.

On arrival at Kelston she said the complainant was forced into the boot, and she and Blom went to collect Blom’s boyfriend.

Keates claimed that on their return Blom went upstairs with her boyfriend, staying there the rest of the evening.

Keates went to the downstairs basement area to discover the complainant naked and crouching on the floor.

The woman’s hair was in pieces on the floor and Jones was holding a pair of scissors, Keates said.

‘‘There was a lot of talking and yelling.

‘‘Lots of arguing and abuse towards the victim, from all of us, because of her apparently stealing rings, and sleeping with Nicole’s boyfriend.

‘‘[The complainant] just seemed broken and helpless. It was all of us against her.’’

Keates said she left after Torrance forced her to sexually violate the complainant with a long plastic tube.

‘‘I pulled away and that’s when I walked out of the room.

‘‘I kind of freaked out and shut my eyes and looked away. I was disgusted about everything and I just wanted to leave. I didn’t want to be around that any more . . . I just wanted to get out of there.’’

Afterward she sat outside with Blom and her boyfriend having a cigarette, claiming Blom had ‘‘no idea’’ what was going on downstairs.

However later she received a text from Blom, allegedly in reference to the complainant, which said: ’’the dog needs baby sitting’’.

Keates replied saying: ’’That ain’t no dog. That’s a gutter rat.’’

Blom replied: ‘‘Love you. Glad you had a good night.’’

Keates told the court she didn’t feel proud of what had happened.

So far jurors have heard from more than 20 of the 80 witnesses expected to give evidence.

The complainant is due to give evidence by audio visual link next week.

THE CHARGES

The defendants have denied the following:

Nicola Jones: Threatening to kill, sexual violation, attempted murder, injuring with intent, assault with a Taser

Julie-ann Torrance: Injuring with intent, assault with a Taser, two counts of assault with scissors, assault with a cricket wicket, sexual violation, attempted murder

Cameron Hakeke: Kidnapping, stealing a car, assault with a Taser, assault with scissors

Michelle Blom: Injuring with intent, kidnapping, assault with a cricket wicket, assault with scissors, sexual violation

Wayne Blackett: Assault with a cricket wicket, assault with scissors, sexual violation.