Raped woman was probably drugged, court told

A woman repeatedly raped after going to a Mongrel Mob-controlled club in Napier was also more than likely drugged, a Wellington jury has been told.

In the High Court yesterday, prosecutor Russell Collins said the woman, 28, remembered being raped in a storeroom at the Maraenui Millionaires Club while two men held her down.

The Mongrel Mob ran and controlled the club, Mr Collins said.

She probably had far too much to drink but it was more likely she was also drugged, he said. John Wharemako Gillies, 34, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of sexual violation by rape and one charge each of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and abduction.

His lawyer, Tony Snell, said Gillies denied being at the club and, if she was raped there, he did not do it.

Gillies said he met the woman in Hastings and had consensual sex with her, Mr Snell said.

Gillies denied committing the act of unlawful sexual connection that was alleged, or taking her from Napier to Hastings.

Mr Collins said the woman had gone out with her cousin on Friday, May 7, last year. They ended up at the Maraenui Millionaires Club about 3am on the Saturday. When it was closing, her cousin could not find her but found her handbag and took it.

Mr Collins said it was alleged the woman had been taken into a storeroom where two men held her down and Gillies raped her.

She did not remember much about the next 20 hours.

She remembered being naked in a paddock and a second man raping her in a garage or shed.

She woke at 2.30am on Sunday in a bed next to Gillies.

Her cousin had tried to find her about noon on Saturday and went back to the Maraenui Millionaires Club. She saw a man coming out of the storeroom who appeared to be tucking in his shirt, and she went in to the room.

The cousin would say the woman was crouched in a corner, at least partly clothed but not responding.

The man reappeared, told the cousin to leave, and said the woman would be taken home soon.

When the complainant eventually woke the next morning she left the house but did not know where she was. She went back in to find a phone but could not.

Despite the way she had been treated, she woke Gillies to ask for his phone. His demeanour was calm and helpful, unlike her earlier impression of him being vicious. He drove her to get her car.

The trial is expected to last five days.

- NZPA