Tattooist accused of sexual assaults had erectile dysfunction - defence

A Rotorua tattooist accused of violent sexual assaults against two women suffered from erectile dysfunction and rarely initiated sexual contact, a court has heard.

Jamie Dean Keremete, 47, faces 22 sex and violence charges involving two complainants. His trial is under way in the High Court at Rotorua.

Cross-examination of the second of his alleged victims began today, after the jury was previously told how the woman felt she was being held prisoner by an enraged Keremete.

The jury also heard how Keremete had allegedly subjected her to regular vicious sexual encounters, including an instance where he had used his fist causing her to bleed internally.

During cross-examination, Keremete's lawyer Bill Nabney questioned the number of times the pair engaged in sex.

He went on to say it was only a handful of times, as Keremete "suffered from erectile dysfunction" and the woman was the one to initiate sex and had suggested Keremete get medication, like Viagra.

"When he was raping me it didn't look like he had erectile dysfunction," the woman replied.

In response to claims she was "being kept a prisoner 24/7", Nabney said there were a number of instances where the woman was able to leave.

"The reality is, you were free to drive wherever you wanted."

Nabney also told the court the woman had boasted about how she had "got three ex-boyfriends put in jail".

"No, I've never said such a thing," she responded.

Nabney suggested the woman said she'd drop the charges if Keremete's mother paid her.

The woman responded with an angry "no way, no way".

She remained resolute that it was Keremete who'd attacked her with a crowbar after smashing his way into her car, not someone else as counsel suggested. She denied fabricating her evidence that Keremete had thrown a steel hose reel through her car's windscreen and attacked the panels of her car.

Keremete, who was excused by Justice Matthew Palmer QC from sitting through the woman's evidence, was back in the dock while she was being questioned.

The woman's daughter testified seeing her mother bruised and with two black eyes.

"At first she said she'd punched herself in the face, later she said it was Jamie who did it."

The daughter told the jury of a time she'd seen Keremete drive directly at her mother at speed.

The trial continues.