18 guilty verdicts in sex and bashing trial

File photo / Bay of Plenty Times

After nearly two days of deliberations, a jury has convicted a 30-year-old man of underage sex and bashing charges, but has acquitted him of the most serious sexual violation charge.

Judge David Saunders in Christchurch District Court today remanded the man, whose name remained suppressed in custody for sentence.

A pre-sentence report and victim impact statements will be prepared for November 18 but the sentencing may be delayed until early February.

The jury began its deliberations about 11.30am yesterday, but did not deliver its verdicts until nearly 5pm today.

The verdicts included three 10-1 majority decisions - one jury member had been discharged part way through the trial.

The court was told the man repeatedly had sex with a 15-year-old girl in a Christchurch house where a suburban brothel was being run downstairs.

He denied running the brothel but acknowledged he had provided the money to set it up.

The jury convicted him on multiple charges of having sex with the girl, now aged 17, when he knew she was aged only 15.

It also convicted him of various assaults on her including strangling her, and using a martial arts weapon, and a coffee table as a weapon. It convicted him on charges of assaulting her with intent to injure.

It convicted him of causing her grievous bodily harm -- an incident where she told the court he kicked her and cracked her ribs.

The man was also convicted of assaulting a 33-year-old man with intent to injure him, using a sword scabbard, and threatening to kill or cause him grievous bodily harm.

But the jury acquitted him on charges of assaulting the man using martial arts weapons, and charges of raping the girl, cutting her with a knife, and punching her. The crown had alleged he had sometimes bullied the teenager into having sex when she was unwilling.

Judge Saunders told the jury the trial had shown them a lifestyle that was foreign to them, apart from watching television soap operas and dramas.

"But it is real life. It happens in Christchurch and it's not pleasant at all," he said, thanking them for their work during the two-week trial.

- NZPA