Police investigate after claims of sexual assaults

WELLINGTON: Police are investigating after at least 60 people made claims on social media about being sexually assaulted by a group of Wellington musicians.

Several of those people have come forward with complaints.

Claims include people being drugged, raped, harassed and otherwise abused by the group over the years.

Detective Inspector John van den Heuvel would not say yesterday how many people had laid complaints against the musicians and could not say if complaints had been made against the men in the past.

‘‘It’s quite possible a complaint has been made without individual suspects being identified,’’ Det Insp van den Heuvel said.

‘‘Let’s move this investigation from social media.

‘‘Bring it to police. Bring it to the support services that can actually help and we’ll go from there.’’

He said he was not in a position to comment on what risks people faced after making social media posts naming the men, but encouraged people not to make any further posts naming them.

There were about 12 detectives working on the case at the moment.

‘‘We’re assessing that as we speak to determine if the need is there to grow it further.’’

The investigation started on Monday and police were in the ‘‘gathering phase’’, Det Insp van den Heuvel said.

Most of the alleged offending had taken place in the Wellington region. — The New Zealand Herald