HNZ officer tells court of abuse accused's home

The High Court at Auckland. File photo / Dean Purcell

A Housing New Zealand officer told a court today the south Auckland home where a couple lived with their eight children was the "worst she had ever seen".

Neisha Hura told the High Court at Auckland the house was riddled with holes and she found faeces daubed on the bathroom wall.

A 37-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman are charged with three counts of assault on a child, eight charges of cruelty to a child and one charge of intentional damage to a Housing New Zealand home in Manurewa. They both have name suppression.

The man is also charged with sexual misconduct with his then 12-year-old daughter and injuring her with intent by inflicting repeated blows with a broom. He is also charged with two counts of assault on his children. All charges related to events between January 2005 and September 2007.

The cruelty charges include wilfully ill-treating the eight children in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering, physical and mental abuse, generating a climate of fear, providing unsuitable housing, causing and maintaining poor hygiene and allowing them to go hungry.

The man pleaded guilty to one assault charge, while all other charges are denied.

The Crown has alleged the man was paid $40 by three men who sexually assaulted his 12-year-old daughter in a store car park in south Auckland.

It said he arranged for the attack to take place and spent the cash on cannabis in Otahuhu after his daughter's ordeal was over.

A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in yesterday for the trial, which is expected to last two weeks.

The children are expected to start giving evidence today via CCTV and video interviews with them from September 2007 will be played to the court.

- NZPA