Assault accused gives evidence

Richard John Keepa has given evidence denying that he detained, intentionally injured, or sexually violated a woman, on the fourth day of his trial in the Christchurch District Court.

He gave his account of the series of incidents in Christchurch which have led to him facing 11 charges. The jury was told today that one charge of threatening to kill was ruled out by Judge Jane Farish after the crown closed its case.

The defence said yesterday that it would not be calling evidence but after further discussions today Judge Farish said Keepa would give evidence after all. Defence counsel Tony Garrett said the 33-year-old man would be the only defence witness.

Keepa, formerly a forestry worker, denies charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, two of intentionally injuring the woman, unlawful detention with intent to have sex, assault with intent to commit sexual violation, threatening to do grievous bodily harm, sexual violation, indecent assault, attempted sexual violation, assault, and possession of an offensive weapon.

The crown has alleged the woman was knocked unconscious when she was pushed into a concrete wall in one incident, strangled unconscious on another occasion, and bashed and sexual violated in a third incident.

Mr Garrett urged the jury to carefully consider the evidence Keepa would give. They would hear of behaviour that was "less than gentlemanly" but they should consider whether it was bad enough to warrant the laying of such serious charges.

Keepa said the woman had been knocked unconscious when she assaulted him and he pushed her away and she fell. He did not see what happened to her, but saw she had been knocked out.

He denied the next incident ever happened, when the woman said he had strangled her unconscious when she refused sex.

He told the jury the pair had argued on the night of the third incident and said he had punched her to "get her off" when she bit him during oral sex. He put his arms around her neck in a headlock to restrain her because she had attacked him, and her top had been ripped when she pulled away from him.

He denied detaining the woman to have sex and said he had actually put her outside the Addington house and told her to go. He also denied her allegation that he had threatened to cut off her fingers with long-handled pruners.

The jury was to hear closing addresses after Keepa's cross-examination by crown prosecutor Claire Boshier, and Judge Farish is now expected to sum up tomorrow before the jury retires to consider its verdicts.

- NZPA