A woman who was allegedly subjected to an hours-long sex attack by a gang member broke down in front of police a week after the incident.
Pierre Rewi Anglem (42) is on trial before the Dunedin District Court on a raft of sex charges stemming from an incident on August 27, 2020.
He had been using methamphetamine with others at the complainant’s home when the pair were left alone.
Anglem said the sexual contact that ensued was consensual and limited to one act rather than the variety of crimes of which he was accused.
Counsel Anne Stevens QC told the jury at the trial’s outset that the rape allegation could have been the complainant’s misguided attempt at payback after her ex-boyfriend had cannabis stolen in the days beforehand.
Police went to the woman’s Dunedin home on September 3, 2020, after reports of domestic disorder were called in.
Constable Abbey Loveday said they arrived to "yelling and screaming" coming from the rear of the property.
The complainant’s sister said the woman was having "a breakdown" but details were scant.
Const Loveday told the court they found her in a state of extreme distress and while much of what she said was unintelligible, there was one comment that stood out.
"I was raped by a gang member the other night," the complainant said.
The officers led the woman inside where she calmed down and talked them through a detailed version of events from the previous week.
Const Loveday described how the complainant directed her to the Facebook page of a Mongrel Mob member where she pointed out the man she knew as "Pierre".
The next day, the woman agreed to undergo a forensic medical examination, which was performed by Dr Jacqueline Hughes.
While there were no irregularities to the genital region, the doctor pointed out that was common and did not rule out non-consensual sexual activity.
The complainant told Dr Hughes that she had struggled to breathe during part of the alleged assault and that she thought she was going to die.
While there was no evidence of strangulation or suffocation detected, she did find a variety of bruises and abrasion on the woman’s arms, wrists, legs and back.
Dr Hughes stressed it was impossible to determine when the minor injuries occurred or the context in which they were sustained.
The trial is expected to conclude this week.
