Pair accused of kiss-and-tell blackmail

Two women fondled and kissed a man inside his house then blackmailed him into giving them money or they'd reveal all to his wife, a jury has heard.

Melisa Repia and Dulcie Harris, both 35, are on trial in the High Court at Whangarei after denying charges of blackmail and theft of jewellery.

Prosecutor Catherine Anderson told the jury that in early February last year, the complainant was at his Kaikohe home watching TV alone when he heard a knock on the door.

The man's wife was not home.

When he opened the door, Repia and Harris took him inside the house and began kissing and fondling him.

Later, both said they had been robbed and had no food.

The man then gave them food and a bottle of liquor before asking them to leave his house.

Sometime later, Repia sent the man a text message, and he telephoned Repia, Ms Anderson said.

When the man called Repia after receiving a text message from her, she demanded money or she would tell everything to the man's wife.

That evening, the women visited the man, who drove them to a bank, withdrew cash and handed over the money.

More money was given as time passed, Ms Anderson said.

During one of the payments, Repia informed the man about being in possession of his wife's jewellery and if he wanted it, he'd have to pay.

"This is a case of a man being blackmailed by two women who stole his wife's jewellery and demanded money so that they won't tell his wife what happened," Ms Anderson said.

She said the man kept paying Repia because he didn't want his wife to know what happened in the house and about the missing jewellery.

His wife returned home on February 18 and discovered her entire jewellery collection missing.

Tea towels made by her sister were also missing. They were recovered during a search of a Kaikohe house in February.

Ms Anderson said the man felt he had no choice but to give money after being blackmailed.

Cellphone records obtained by police will be produced in court.

The trial before Justice Patrick Keane continues today.

- Imran Ali of the Northern Advocate