A man facing 33 sexual abuse charges against two minors claims the sex was consensual. Photo / NZME
WARNING: This story discusses allegations of sexual abuse and may be upsetting.
A man accused of sexually abusing two minors has been called out on the witness stand for telling "bald-faced lies".
Tulisi Leiataua claims one of his alleged victims, a 12-year-old girl, pursued him for sex and yesterday he broke down as he told the jury he initially did not want to engage.
Today Crown prosecutor Gareth Kayes told Leiataua he was a liar and a rapist.
"You were 20 years older than her [the first victim] but you had sex with her, knowing she couldn't consent."
Leiataua is on trial in the Manukau District Court charged with 33 counts of sexual abuse.
"You say you refused three times, is that because you knew it was morally wrong?" Kayes asked the defendant.
"I wasn't thinking morally," Leiataua replied. "I was thinking with common sense."
He then admitted to knowing the alleged victim was a minor.
"I know she was a child but the way she came to me was like a mature woman.
"I refused her but she kept coming back to me. She truly wanted to do this," Leiataua said.
Leiataua has been extradited from Samoa to face the charges.
He is alleged to have abused two women when they were children over a period of four years.
The girls were aged between 8 and 12 when the abuse allegedly began in 2010.
Kayes accused Leiataua of crocodile tears when he broke down.
"I suggest your tears yesterday were fake?"
Leiataua responded: "Well, that's how you see it, but when I cried yesterday it was true. I was emotional."
Kayes suggested Leiataua permanently left for Samoa in 2014 to run away from the alleged rapes and sexual violations.
Leitaua denied the suggestion, telling the jury he wasn't trying to escape.
"I didn't run away and I didn't rape these girls."
Yesterday the 45-year-old denied any oral sex and claimed his relationship with one of the girls was like that of a "married couple".
Leiataua's lawyer Mark Edgar told the jury there was no rape or violation, that the sex was consensual and it was up to them to see this.
"This is not a court of morals. It is a court of law and you are here to determine the facts."
On Monday a second woman, now aged 19 and allegedly abused as an 8-year-old, told the court how Leiataua would threaten her to make sure she didn't tell anyone.
The woman Leiataua described as being in a married relationship with, who is now 24, told the court she was 12 when he began bribing her with treats, commenting on her body, and telling her he planned to marry her when she was older.
Defence lawyer Panama Le'au'anae put it to the woman that she made it up and was actually having a consensual relationship with Leiataua - which she denied.
"This man made me feel like I was a dog ... what he did to me was never consensual," she said.
Six months after Leiataua left for Samoa the sexual abuse complaints were made against him but it wasn't until March 2020 that a Samoan District Court judge accepted an extradition application so Leiataua could face the allegations.
He was brought back to New Zealand soon after and arrested at Auckland Airport.
The jury trial, which is taking place in front of Judge Richard Earwaker, is set down for two weeks.
Tomorrow both the Crown and defence will make their closing submissions.
Where to get help
If you have concerns or suspicions about someone who may be trading in or producing child sexual abuse images or videos, contact Customs confidentially on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
If you are, or know of, someone who is at risk or being abused, contact the police immediately.
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