Pack-Rape Four Found Guilty

The jury has found four men guilty of pack raping a young woman 16 years ago after 12 hours of deliberation following a two and a half week trial. The four faced charged relating to abducting and raping a woman at Mt Maunganui.

The men, whose ages now range from 40 years through to 53 had earlier pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The victim, who was 21 at the time of the offences, testified that in 1989 she was lured to a building near the beach at Mt Manganui believing she was to have lunch with one of the men. She said it was there that she was raped.

The four men said the woman was a willing partner in a group sex session.

The men also faced charges relating to sexual violation with an object. Two of the men were acquitted on this aspect of the case but all were found guilty of pack raping the woman.

The Court lifted name suppression on two of the men: Peter Mana McNamara and Warren Graham Hales were both found guilty of abduction and rape, and did not face any other charges. The names of the other two men remain suppressed. They were found guilty of rape, abduction and unlawful sexual connection and one of them found guilty of an extra rape charge.

All four men have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on August 5.

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