Woman on trial accused of lying to the court

Photo: Christel Yardley/Stuff.

A woman facing child sex charges has been accused of lying to the court about her former partner forcing her to take part.

Laken Maree Rose says she thought Andrew Alan Williams would kill her if she did not comply.

And a psychiatrist giving evidence for the defence says Rose is 'particularly vulnerable to coercion”.

But, at the High Court in Hamilton on Wednesday, Crown prosecutor Anna Pollett said there is inescapable evidence of Rose offending against girls.

'All you have been doing through the past two days [of evidence] has been lying to this court, haven't you?” she said.

'No,” Rose replied.

Rose, 31, has pleaded guilty to 10 charges and faces trial on another 50.

She and Williams were arrested in May 2019, and charged with the abuse of seven alleged victims, aged 3 to 14 years old.

Williams, 53, admitted all his charges on the first day of the trial.

Rose detailed threats Williams made to her, and an alleged victim, in a Palmerston North motel car park but said she blocked out what she filmed inside.

'You say you can't remember when it gets difficult,” Pollett said.

'You were with a man for five years [at that point]. This is what you and he were into,” Pollett said.

Williams and Rose lived in Cambridge, and allegedly offended in Waikato, Palmerston North, Dannevirke and Bay of Plenty between 2014 and 2019.

The pair met at the Horse of the Year show in 2009 when Rose was 19. Williams was 42.

Rose was "particularly vulnerable to coercion by her partner", Hamilton psychiatrist Dr Peter Dean told the court.

He diagnosed dependent personality disorder and PTSD – the latter linked to traumatic events including a rape when she was 18.

"Very soon after, she fell into a relationship with a man who was considerably older," Dr Dean said.

"I think we've heard how Mr Williams was very charming, at least initially ... and someone taking control and making decisions for her was what she wanted, what she needed at the time."

In time, Rose feared Williams but was equally scared of losing him.

Rose has repeatedly said she was afraid to cross Williams, who was controlling and abusive, and obeyed him to avoid beatings.

One defence witness to speak of concerns was former employer Kevin Taylor.

Rose told him in early 2017 that Williams tried to strangle her, he said.

'I could tell she was frightened of Andy Williams. She never said that but as a parent you could just tell.”

'I said she should go to the police and leave him. She said: it is very hard.”

Rose's father, Philip Rose, also gave evidence, describing her as being 'very quiet ... wouldn't talk to us” when she tried to leave Williams in 2014.

Sarah Malone, with whom Rose stayed in Ōtaki, gave evidence about Rose's fragile mental state and fear of not answering Williams' messages during that separation.

And former employer Erana​ Shattock was told Rose wanted to leave the relationship in early 2019 but was afraid.

Justice Matthew Muir questioned Rose about her actions when she was alone with the alleged teenage victim, of the Palmerston North offending, after Williams left.

'Please tell me why you did not go immediately to the police who, on the basis of such an allegation, would have made immediate inquiries and arrested Mr Williams, thereby fully protecting you from his future activities and threats?” he asked.

'Because I believed him when he said he would kill me,” Rose replied.

And Justice Muir suggested a third view of the events: a desperate, insecure young woman in a relationship with a manipulative man, doing anything to keep him happy.

Rose made her own accusation of lies, when pushed on why she did not seek help earlier.

She said she told a showjumping acquaintance, and police officer, Detective Jackie Jermyn, that Williams was pressuring her and that there were photos in his computer.

But Jermyn has given evidence that she never heard this.

'Are you suggesting that Detective Jermyn is a liar?” Pollett asked Rose.

'Yes,” Rose said.

Rose has pleaded guilty to 10 charges, all relating to one complainant: nine of inducing her to perform sexual acts and one of making a video.

The trial will continue on Monday, with closing addresses.

-Stuff/Libby Wilson.

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