Tooth puller found guilty

Philip Hansen
Philip Hansen
The man who yanked women's teeth out with a pair of pliers has been found guilty of six assault and indecent assault charges.

A jury found Philip Lyle Hansen not guilty of four other charges including rape and assault.

Hansen has been on trial in the Wellington District Court facing 10 charges including sex charges and assault.

The jury of nine men and three women deliberated for five hours before returning with the verdicts.

Hansen stood quietly in the dock while the verdicts were read out.

The guilty verdicts related mostly to Hansen pulling teeth from women with a pair of pliers, sometimes while having sex with them.

He was remanded in custody until sentencing on June 19.

Earlier, the jury Was told it needs to put aside their emotions when deciding the guilt or innocence.

Hansen faced 10 charges against four complainants, including assault and sex charges that also included rape.

One charge of male assaults female had been dismissed by Judge Davidson.

The charges spanned over a period of more than 20 years from 1988 to 2011. The offending allegedly happened at various locations in the Hutt Valley area in Wellington.

Judge Davidson told the jury of nine men and three women in this case there was considerable scope for feelings of bias and sympathy.

"It would be hard not to have some overall sympathy for the complainants."

Similarly, the jury could believe Hansen was "some sort of sleazeball", Judge Davidson said.

The charges related to Hansen pulling teeth from three of the women, sometimes during sex and allegedly against their will.

The defence said the incidents were consensual, Judge Davidson said.

There was also a rape allegation made by one of the complainants, which the defence denied happening.

One of the complainants also alleged Hansen cut her toes while trimming her toenails, which the Crown said was on purpose.

The defence said the discomfort was accidental and he was only attempting to help her, Judge Davidson said.

The prosecution pointed to Hansen's obsession with teeth, that a pair of pliers was found in his bedside drawer with blood and DNA from one of the complainants, and hundreds of searches about tooth extraction found on his computer, he said.

The prosecution also said there was a delay in the women making complaints against him because of Hansen's controlling behaviour over them.

Meanwhile, the defence said all evidence given by the complainants should be rejected.

The women colluded, most likely out of "regret and bitterness", Judge Davidson said.