Accused denies attack at quarry
Exactly one year after police found a bloodied woman in a remote quarry, her alleged attacker has professed his innocence in court.
Colin Jack Mitchell, 59, is charged with the brutal attack which took place in Riverhead, north Auckland, in the early hours of February 26, 2017.
The victim at the centre of the case had been at the Auckland Pride Parade in Ponsonby Rd but was abducted shortly afterward and taken to the quarry.
The Crown alleges Mitchell abducted the woman with the intent to sexually violate her but before he could follow through with the sexual assault, the woman escaped.
Mitchell denies any wrongdoing, claiming that on the night of the attack he was at home watching a movie, and later went to bathe his legs at an Onehunga beach.
Over the past two weeks, Crown prosecutors at his trial at the High Court in Auckland have produced security camera footage which they claim shows Mitchell driving his car in Auckland city at the time the woman was abducted.
They also claim the footage shows his car entering the quarry an hour later.
A main component of the Crown case is two gloves found at the scene at the quarry, which had Mitchell’s DNA on them.
On Monday, Mitchell told the court he had never bought the brand of gloves found at the quarry.
However, in the weeks before the attack he had gone to The Warehouse and tried on a similar pair of gloves, but put them back on the shelf – possibly explaining how his DNA ended up in the gloves found at the quarry.
‘‘I didn’t buy them. I think they were too expensive,’’ he told the court.
The victim told police following the ordeal her attacker wore a mask. Last week, it was revealed Mitchell had bought two Halloween masks two weeks prior to the attack.
Mitchell said on Monday he often bought masks and other items for themed nights at his local RSA. ‘‘We do have themed nights at the club – Halloween night and fright night,’’ he told the court.
Mitchell said he had been at home watching a movie on the night of the attack.
Following the movie, he went to the Onehunga beach and then said he may have travelled to the West Auckland suburb of Avondale, where he may have gone for a walk.
‘‘There [are] a couple of little parks I like to walk around in,’’ he said.
Crown prosecutor Kirsten Lummis pushed Mitchell on why he was unable to fully recall where he was on the night in question.
‘‘I suggest you are not sure because it is all a pack of lies ... you were not in some park in Avondale, you were in Riverhead,’’ Lummis said.
‘‘No,’’ Mitchell replied. Mitchell faces charges of abduction, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and assault with intent to commit sexual violation.