Working tourist alleges sex assault by boss

Police are investigating an alleged attempted sexual assault on a young English tourist by a man she worked for on a pony farm.

The day after the 19-year-old arrived at the man's house to start work she had to steal his car to flee his advances, she claims.

The man contacted the teenager via Yard and Groom, a British website for people seeking work with horses, saying he had a job at his North Island polo yard.

She is in New Zealand on a working holiday, taking time off from studies in the UK for an equine science degree.

The teen accepted the offer and last month took a flight from Christchurch to Palmerston North, where a woman picked her up and took her to the farm.

Her father, David Webb, who lives in Herefordshire in England, told the Herald his daughter was surprised to discover the man was alone at the farm and only they would be in the house that night. His staff were to return the next day.

The man took her to a barbecue at the local polo club that night. While driving her home she claims he started telling her he loved her and tried to touch her.

Mr Webb said that later that night, after his daughter had gone to bed, the employer came into her room and tried to kiss her and touch her.

She fought him off and put a piece of furniture in front of the door to stop him coming in.

The next morning the man apologised to the girl, Mr Webb said.

Later that day they went back to the polo club.

It is understood the young woman took the man's car while he was inside and drove to the house of another young woman she had met at the club the night before, and stayed the night with her.

The next day she returned to the yard where other workers had arrived.

She told them what had happened but, feeling safe with the other staff, decided to stay the night there while awaiting a flight back to Christchurch.

A staff member drove her to the airport and she reported the incident to police a couple of days later.

The Christchurch police last week confirmed the woman had made a statement. The file had been sent to local police to investigate.

The man told the Herald the incident had been blown out of proportion.

He said it was hard to remember specifics of what had happened during the first alleged incident in the car but he did not touch her inappropriately.

"I might have been patronising and patted her on the hand or head or something like that. But nothing to that intent."

He believed locals had stirred trouble. There were rumours about him in the town after an incident 20 years ago involving a staff member. He would not elaborate.

Mr Webb, a retired British police officer who was in the force for 33 years, said he wanted to warn young women to be careful when accepting jobs.

He had phoned Yard and Groom after the incident and the site's operators had told him they would suspend the man's account.