A man convicted of raping a woman in an Auckland motel has lashed out at the judge who found him guilty.
The man, who has interim name suppression, has been on trial at the High Court in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The man, who has interim name suppression, had pleaded not guilty to rape in the High Court at Auckland.
After hearing three days of evidence earlier this week, Justice Venning delivered a guilty verdict this morning.
He said he accepted the evidence of the victim; that the man had raped her in an Auckland motel after a date in early 2018.
The judge said the woman did not consent to having sex with the man nor did the man believe on reasonable grounds she consented.
Standing in the dock, the man's head dropped downwards on hearing the guilty verdict as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.
He then raised his voice, saying "You're so full of shit mate. You have no reason to convict me. You're full of shit."
Justice Venning continued speaking before the man interjected again, saying "I can't wait for the Court of Appeal to overturn this mate. You're full of shit."
The defendant raped the woman after earlier meeting her on a date that started at a bar in the Viaduct and ended at a motel.
The woman had told the court the man raped her after she explicitly refused to go any further than kissing on the bed in that motel.
The man had denied the rape charge, with his lawyer saying the night was an uneventful casual hook up after a date that neither party wanted to repeat.
Justice Venning remanded the man in custody for sentencing on 27 November.
