KEY POINTS:
A former West Coast rugby representative has gone on trial on 15 counts of rape or sexual indecency.
The man, who has name suppression, has denied eight counts of rape, six of indecent assault and one of forcing a woman to commit an indecent act.
The Crown has told a Greymouth District Court jury the charges are representative of numerous other offences allegedly committed between 2002 and 2005, but the bulk of them in 2002.
Crown prosecutor Janet Orchard said the rapes and indecencies began in late 2001.
After the first couple of incidents he apologised and said it would not happen again but he continued to make visits to her room late at night, even after several other young men had moved in as flatmates.
The woman did not tell anyone because she was ashamed and scared of the accused, Ms Orchard said.
She was pleased when he moved out of the house in May 2003.
The woman took her claims of indecency to the chief executive officer and the chairman of the West Coast Rugby Union but became demoralised and did not take the matter any further when they made it plain they did not believe her.
Despite not living with her, the accused still paid periodic visits and the woman would either wake to find him raping her or standing naked by the bed, Ms Orchard said.
She was raped at least once in 2004 and 2005, but did not feel strong enough to take her complaint to the police until May 2006.
When interviewed by the police the accused admitted all the sexual contact had occurred but said it had been consensual.
Defence lawyer Stephen Hembrow told the jury to focus on the dates.
The alleged offending began in April 2002, stopped in December 2005 and was not reported to the police until May 2006 - four years after it started.
Mr Hembrow said the reason no one knew about the offending was simple. Both wanted it kept quiet because of the vast age gap between them.
"The defence is simple. This is not tidy, but it's a sexual adventure, or fling, between a much older woman and a young man. They wanted it kept quiet. The mere fact that you regret it, does not mean it is illegal."
The trial is expected to finish on Thursday.
- NZPA
