The jury in the kidnapping case against Inspector Hurimoana Dennis and Sergeant Vaughan Perry today visited the cells at Auckland Central Police Station where it is alleged the 17-year-old complainant was held against his will in May 2015.
This is the cell where it's alleged Inspector Hurimoana Dennis held the 17-year-old complainant against his will.
Judge Justice Edwin Wylie said in court today, “You are simply going to view the relevant areas at the Auckland Central Police Station to see the areas involved in the case for yourself and in three dimensions.”
A judge's passing comments to a jury at the Auckland High Court who were today taken to the Auckland Central Police Station so they could see for themselves the setting for what the Crown alleges was a kidnapping.
Det. Sgt. Neil Hilton said, “I wanted to give the family the options over what could be done and what couldn’t be done.”
The jury also saw the small interview room where the complainant was allegedly told, "he had the option of moving to Australia or face a charge of statutory rape".
Det. Sgt. Hilton said, “Advise him of his liability should a prosecution be commenced and try to convince him that that wasn't the best course of action for him or anyone else.”
The Crown Prosecutor today examined its first witness Det. Sgt. Neil Hilton, the officer who at the time was a part of the Police Child Protection Team.
“An unusual situation, in that it was the mother of the alleged offender in this matter that laid the complaint. I felt we needed more information before we decided how we were going to progress the matter. Given my research into the families that there was more going on in the background.”
The complainant is scheduled to take the witness box in the coming days.