Wh¯anau in standoff over teen love affair
A bitter standoff between two rival families over a teenage love affair unfolded before one of the teens was allegedly kidnapped by police, a court has heard.
Inspector Hurimoana Dennis and Sergeant Vaughan Perry are on trial in the High Court at Auckland over a mock arrest of the young man, who has name suppression.
In May 2015, it is alleged Dennis, a family friend, organised to have the 17-year-old taken to the Auckland Central Police Station.
While there, the teen was processed and locked in a cell by Dennis and Perry, the duty custody sergeant, as if he had been arrested.
He was then allegedly given an ultimatum – either start a new life in Australia without his girlfriend, or be charged with statutory rape – and was put on a plane to Sydney believing he had no other choice.
On Monday, the mother of the young man’s girlfriend, who also cannot be named, gave evidence.
She told Crown prosecutor Brian Dickey the young man contacted her after he was sent to Australia to stay with relatives, allegedly against his will.
She gave the teen her debit card details so that he could purchase a ticket home.
When he was due at Auckland Airport, the woman and her family went to meet him but he never arrived, she said.
She next heard from him on the phone about four days later.
‘‘He said he was on the plane ... when he exited the plane, he was met by police officers.’’
Dennis had allegedly caught wind of his flight and put him on another plane back to Sydney.
Under cross-examination by Steve Bonnar QC, the woman was asked about an incident between her family and the young man’s family in March 2015.
The two wha¯ nau were having a barbecue at the woman’s house to discuss the relationship between the teens.
The teen couple ran away from the house, and their families followed. The situation ended with a ‘‘standoff’’ between the two wha¯ nau on a beach in Glen Innes – yelling abuse at each other, she said. The police were called and Dennis arrived to separate the families.
The boy ended up living with the girlfriend’s family.
It was during that time that the mock arrest took place, the court heard.
The trial continues.