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The trial of a leading figure in the New Zealand entertainment industry facing rape, sexual assault and drug-related charges has been adjourned to start again this morning.
The man on trial, who cannot be identified due to an interim suppression order, has pleaded not guilty to 25 charges relating to nine complainants.
His trial in the High Court at Rotorua was expected to last six weeks.
The charges relate to alleged offences in various locations throughout the North Island over a period of years. Some of the charges relate to the man allegedly using drugs such as ecstasy and methamphetamine on women so he could rape and sexually assault them.
The trial was adjourned on Monday and again Tuesday but was set to resume today.
The reasons for the adjournments cannot be reported.
A leading figure in the New Zealand entertainment industry is on trial in the High Court at Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner
Crown solicitor Anna Pollett said during her opening address on Monday she would be making “explicit reference to matters of a sexual nature” throughout her opening address and the trial.
She said she was not doing it to embarrass or shock the jury but to give them a clear understanding of the circumstances.
She said the man was in a role that involved personal responsibility and integrity. But despite this, she said he considered this gave him the entitlement to act in any way he wished towards those women.
“Whether or not they wanted it, if he did that was all that mattered. He was addicted to sex, he told some.”
Pollett said the man used class A and B drugs such as ecstasy and methamphetamine and it had the effect of lessening the inhibitions in some and influencing things in his favour, sometimes combined with alcohol.
She said on two occasions in one night he unlawfully entered the house of one of the complainants.
Once police started investigating, the man became aware of various witnesses who had spoken to police.
He asked a business associate about family members who had made statements and encouraged them to change their minds about what they had said to police, Pollett said.
The Crown is expected to call 63 witnesses.
Defence lawyer Ron Mansfield KC is appearing for the man.
