Public help police over 'depraved' rape ordeal

Police say they are getting plenty of suggestions from the public about who may be responsible for a chilling sexual attack on a woman in Pukekohe.

The 37-year-old victim was handcuffed and had a pillow put over her head as she was repeatedly raped by an intruder in Pukekohe, south of Auckland, over a five hour period on Tuesday night.

Detective Sergeant Steve Brewer said the Pukekohe public had been very forthcoming with information.

But he added: "We haven't had the breakthrough that we need to help us make an arrest."

Mr Brewer said about 45 police staff were involved in the inquiry, a number of whom were conducting investigations around the Pukekohe house and the scene where the offender crashed the car.

The attack happened just days after the woman had moved into the house. The offender forced his way into the property through a sliding glass door, after asking to use her phone.

Police earlier revealed the man made his victim wear different outfits during the violent sex attack.

He also forced the woman to shower after each violation and used foreign objects.

Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Grimstone told the Herald on Sunday the man bashed the woman to make her comply and became increasingly violent. "Over the four to five hours of her ordeal, he sexually violated and raped her in every possible fashion, including using foreign objects," he said. "She complied with his depraved wishes, including dressing up for him in different things throughout the attack."

The victim suffered massive bruising to her upper body and facial cuts and swelling.

Mr Grimstone said criminal profilers believed a current or previous partner of the attacker would recognise the behaviour and he urged her to call police. "I'm sure she will recognise violence before sex as common in their relationship."

Mr Grimstone said the man told the woman he had been watching her. An administration manager, she had moved in to the small brick-and-weatherboard unit over Queen's Birthday weekend, and it was "quite possible" he had followed her from her previous home.

"He said he had been watching her for some time. We don't know yet if that means hours, days or weeks."

However, Mr Grimstone said the attacker did not know her personally.

After the attack, the man changed into a pair of the woman's jeans and a black jacket, which police are now seeking. The woman escaped when he drove her to an ATM machine to make her withdraw money.

She distracted the man by dropping her cards on the car floor and, as he picked them up, she ran away and sought help at a nearby BP station.

The man sped off and crashed the car in Paerata Rd, and was later seen running back towards Pukekohe.

Immediate neighbours, including a police officer, said they were home when the attack happened, but no one heard anything.

Pukekohe resident Jackie Johnson said most people stayed inside to keep out of the cold, wet weather that night. "Here I was at home watching television in front of the fire while this poor woman was going through that. It's just shocking."

Mr Grimstone praised the woman's courage. "A lot of woman in these cases try to block everything out but she has been absolutely incredible." "

Any information can be passed to the Operation Clover inquiry team on 09-295-0200.

The attacker is described as a Maori man, in his late 30s or early 40s. He wore a green nylon hooded jacket, dark pants, a black scarf and black gloves and changed into a pair of the victim's Blue Denim Company jeans and a black jacket with a silver fern and "New Zealand" stitched in white on left-hand side.