Sex child accused challenged

A woman charged with child sex abuse had the ‘‘perfect opportunity’’ to reveal her own alleged abuse during a police interview, according to the Crown.

But Laken Maree Rose says she believed no-one could protect her from former partner and co-accused Andrew Alan Williams – who she says was violent and controlling. The pair were arrested in May 2019 and charged with a raft of child sex abuse, relating to seven alleged victims, aged three to 14 years old.

Rose, 31, is on trial at the High Court in Hamilton and says she obeyed Williams out of fear for her life.

Yesterday, Crown Prosecutor Anna Pollett asked why Rose lied when first interviewed by police about serious sex charges.

‘‘Was this not your perfect opportunity to say you need help?’’ Pollett asked.

‘‘By that stage I didn’t believe the police could or would help me,’’ Rose replied.

She didn’t know Williams was in custody, felt protection orders were just a piece of paper, and feared he would kill her, she said. So she did what he’d said: ‘‘told them he was never in bed with the children and cover everything up’’.

Williams and Rose lived in Cambridge, and allegedly offended in Waikato, Palmerston North, Dannevirke and Bay of Plenty between 2014 and 2019.

Williams, 53, admitted all his charges at the start of a trial on November 16.

Rose has now pleaded guilty to ten charges, but faces trial on another 50.

Rose had described fearing Williams, who she said beat her, strangled her to unconsciousness, and threatened her family and animals.

‘‘Yet this court has absolutely no evidence of any such thing except from what you’re asking it to believe,’’ Pollett said.

None of her text conversations with Williams showed threats; Rose said he wasn’t stupid enough to put in writing.

‘‘But he would talk openly about sexual exploitation of children,’’ Pollett replied.

Rose was challenged on why girls’ underwear – some with the crotch cut out – was found in a bedside table at her Cambridge home. Rose and Williams have no children together, and did not have children at the house.

‘‘I don’t actually recall seeing the children’s underwear . . . but if I had I wouldn’t have thought much of it,’’ Rose said. ‘‘They were nothing to do with me.’’

Rose has pleaded guilty to ten charges, all relating to one complainant: nine of inducing her to perform sexual acts, and one of making a video.

The trial continues before Justice Matthew Muir.