Rapist has no recall of bashing

A rapist who says he was assaulted by the stepfather of his victim says he cannot remember the bashing.

Jason Haward, 48, was convicted of raping a 15-year-old Paraparaumu girl and sentenced to seven years and six months jail.

The girl’s stepfather saw him two days after the rape and is now charged with injuring him with intent to injure on April 23 last year.

He cannot be named to protect the identity of the rape victim.

Haward continued to deny raping the teenager, saying she had stolen his wallet. He had followed her home and was assaulted by her stepfather.

He told a Wellington District Court jury yesterday that he had been walking home two days later and the next thing he remembered was waking up in hospital.

He suffering bruising, swelling, a bump on his head and had lost a tooth.

Witnesses said they tried to separate the two men after seeing one repeatedly punching Haward.

In the back of a police car on the way to hospital, Haward had seizures and was unresponsive.

Dr Agadha Wickremesekera said he saw Haward at Wellington Hospital and had kept him in for observation.

Haward improved and had shown a normal level of consciousness before he was released the next day.

The doctor said it was not easy to be clear about whether the seizures would be related to the first or second assault if there was a head injury.

However, he agreed with defence lawyer Peter Foster that seizures could be delayed and they could also be random.

Wickremesekera also agreed that seizures could be faked.

Foster had told the jury his client was unhappy at what he perceived to be delays in the police investigation and had wanted to restrain Haward until officers could arrive.

The trial is expected to last until next week.