Felt dizzy before alleged assault

AUCKLAND: A young man has recalled feeling dizzy before being indecently assaulted in the home of the prominent New Zealand businessman he was trying to secure funding from, a court has heard.

The wellknown New Zealander’s trial began on Monday in the Auckland District Court, while opening addresses from the Crown and defence teams were heard yesterday.

He is facing two charges of indecent assault — having been accused of abusing two men in February 2008 and October

2016 — and two counts of perverting the course of justice by attempting to dissuade the second complainant from giving evidence in his trial.

A wellknown entertainer is also on trial and faces three charges of attempting to dissuade the same complainant.

A third man, the prominent New Zealander’s business manager, is charged with attempting to dissuade the witness on one occasion.

Late yesterday afternoon, the first complainant told the court he contacted the businessman in 2008 to ask for financial support for a project.

The businessman later said he was willing to hear the proposal and wanted to meet the young man, the court heard.

‘‘I was thrilled to receive that phone call,’’ the complainant said.

When the young man arrived at the wealthy businessman’s home he was in awe of its grandeur.

‘‘He offered me a drink, a gin and tonic, which I accepted . . . We talked about my project. We probably spoke for about 15 maybe 20 minutes about it.’’

The businessman then offered the young man another gin and tonic, the young man said.

‘‘We continued to talk about my work, but he wasn’t really asking questions which I would consider normal.’’

The businessman also insisted the young man stay for dinner, he said.

‘‘It was a command, like it had already been arranged,’’ the complainant said.

‘‘I accepted that if I had to have dinner to get this sponsorship then I’ll do that.’’

During dinner the young man said he had a glass, maybe a glassandahalf, of red wine before the tour of the house began.

‘‘[The businessman] took me through various rooms in the house, [it] started downstairs . . . I remember a room which is quite long.

‘‘We went room by room, eventually heading upstairs.’’

But something was wrong, he continued.

‘‘At this point I began to feel not particularly well, I began to feel dizzy and not to have as much control over my limbs as I normally would.

‘‘I realised physically some thing wasn’t right.’’

The businessman then pointed towards a room, the young man said.

‘‘This is the room where you will stay,’’ the prominent New Zealander allegedly said.

‘‘I became very aware that I needed to leave,’’ he said.

‘‘He led me into [the bedroom].’’

The young man said his physical condition began to deteriorate further and he grew concerned about his safety.

‘‘He came up behind me and put his hand on my arse and squeezed it and said: ‘God, you’ve got such a sweet arse’, and kissed the back of my neck.

‘‘I was feeling so inebriated and dizzy and not in control of my body and he wasn’t helping me. I had said: ‘I need to go, I need to call a taxi’ . . . I don’t even remember how I got out of the house.’’

The young man came forward to police in late 2017 after learning someone else had made a sexual complaint against the businessman.

The man’s counsel, David Jones QC, has accused the complainant of fabricating his story.

All three defendants had their interim name suppression revoked yesterday morning by Judge Russell Collins after a successful legal challenge by The New Zealand Herald and Stuff. But their names will remain secret after lawyers for the accused indicated an appeal to the High Court.

The jury trial is set for four weeks. — NZME

❛ I began to feel dizzy and not to have as much control over my

limbs as I normally would