'I have never had to rape any woman,' accused tells court

A man accused of pack-raping a 20-year-old woman at Mount Maunganui 16 years ago, went along to a lunch time rendezvous in the hope of participating in group sex, he told the High Court in Wellington today.

The man, now 53, is among four men accused of luring a woman into an empty building on the promise of a lunch date with a man she liked. There she alleges she was restrained and raped.

The man was the first of four to give evidence in a trial which is in its second week.

He told the court he was a recently separated 36-year-old man in January 1989.

"I wasn't in a serious relationship at the time. I had a number of ladies coming in and out of my life."

When asked if he had raped the woman he replied, "I have never raped anybody in my life.

"I have never had to rape any woman."

Facing charges of rape, abduction and two charges of unlawful violation, the man admits having sex with the woman but says it was consensual.

He told the court he accompanied one of his fellow accused to a lunch time rendezvous he had been told would involve group sex.

"I went in because I saw an opportunity for me to be party to the event as well -- that was group sex."

When the two men arrived at the empty building the woman was already there with another of the accused. She welcomed the two men with cuddles and kisses, he said.

"If she had told me I wasn't welcome I would have left. I felt that I was welcome to be there."

The other accused men 40, 46 and 47 are expected to give evidence and have all denied charges of raping and abducting the woman.

The defence opened its case today with lead lawyer Paul Mabey, QC, telling the jury of four men and eight woman that the essence of the trial was whether what happened inside the empty building was consensual.

"There are some things this trial is not about.

"This trial is not about morality. Criminal trials are not about morality, they are about breaches of the law.

"Morality is different. It is personal, it is subjective, it varies."

The names of the accused have been suppressed.

- NZPA