Man denies sexual assaults
WELLINGTON: A 23yearold man has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of sexual violation following an investigation into sexual assaults in the Wellington music scene.
The man appeared in the Wellington District Court yesterday morning, where he denied all charges.
He is accused of indecently assaulting and raping five different women over a period of about three years.
He faces five charges of rape, two counts of indecent assault, and one of having an unlawful sexual connection. He also faces two charges of burglary and one of being unlawfully in a building.
It is not known yet whether there will be more than one trial so, to preserve the man's fair trial rights, Judge Bruce Davidson granted interim name suppression until his next appearance in March.
He will reappear in court for a case review later that month.
He was arrested as part of Operation Emerald, an ongoing police investigation into sexual offending in Wellington.
The operation was launched in October after posts were made on social media about a group of musicians.
In November, police investigating claims of sexual assault against some in the Wellington music scene said they had received approximately 20 reports from women. — The New Zealand Herald