A 37-year-old man has gone on trial on 17 sexual assault charges against three women, one of them aged 11 years when the alleged offending began.
Prosecutor Sean Mallett outlined alleged offending from 2010 to 2016 as he opened the Crown case for a Christchurch District Court jury in a trial before Judge Paul Kellar, that is expected to continue into next week.
Evidence will be called from 14 Crown witnesses.
The man denies six charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, six of rape, four or sexual conduct with another person, and one of indecent assault.
Mr Mallett said one woman now in her late teens, would given evidence by video-link from outside the courtroom, about allegations that the man had repeatedly touched her, violated her with his finger, or by oral or anal sex, or by penetration with a household item. The sex escalated to rape.
Some of the charges are laid as representative charges – an allegation that they occurred more than once.
Another woman would give evidence of the man touching her, and kissing her breast in bed, with the man claiming that it occurred mistakenly when he thought he was in bed with his partner.
A third woman would give evidence that she woke after an all-night drinking session to find the man trying to remove her jeans.
The trial is continuing.
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