10 Nov 2017

Kidnap trial: Teen denies underage sex

8:05 pm on 10 November 2017

A teenager who says he was kidnapped by two senior police officers has denied repeated accusations he had sex with an underage girl.

Hurimoana Dennis

Hurimoana Dennis Photo: RNZ/ Tom Furley

The teenager, who was 17 at the time, said Inspector Hurimoana Dennis threatened to arrest him on charges of statutory rape if he did not agree to forget about his girlfriend and move to Australia to begin a new life.

Mr Dennis and his colleague Sergeant Vaughan Perry are on trial in the High Court in Auckland, where they have denied charges of kidnapping.

Today Mr Dennis's lawyer, Stephen Bonnar, asked the teen when he first started having sex with his girlfriend.

The teenager declined to answer.

Mr Bonnar asked if he had refused to answer in order not to incriminate himself - he answered "yes".

The defence council pushed the teen further but Justice Wylie intercepted and reminded the teenager he did not have to answer any questions he did not want to.

Mr Bonnar put to the teenager that he was not locked in the cells at the Auckland Central Police Station, as he'd earlier said, and knew he was only being shown around by Mr Dennis.

The teenager denied the claims and stood by the statement he made to the court yesterday.

"None of what you said about what happened in that cell block is true is it? Mr Bonnar asked.

"Mr Dennis made it clear to you that this was a temporary visit and that he was just showing you where you could end up if, in fact, you were having underage sex, didn't he?"

The teenager said he was intimidated by Mr Dennis as he made him promise to break up with his girlfriend.

"He stood over me and pointed to me and made me promise to end the relationship, I was scared so i promised him."

However, Mr Bonnar said the teen could not have been that frightened because he went to visit his girlfriend that same night."

The trial continues next week, with the girlfriend expected to give evidence.

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