December 17, 2008

Woman charged over Corsair Bay investigation

A woman who alleged she had been pack raped in an incident at Corsair Bay has now been charged with making a false complaint and is to appear in the Christchurch District Court today.

Further theft charges ? but no sex offences ? have been laid against four teenagers who were investigated in relation to her gang rape allegations.

Three of the four were charged two weeks ago with theft charges which are being replaced with further theft charges during court appearances this week.

The four, three aged 18 and one 17-year-old, are now being charged with stealing $50 cash, three guitars, two CDs, one DVD, two Playstation games, frozen meat and a lolly jar valued at a total of $870 from the woman at the centre of the rape inquiry.

One pleaded guilty in the Christchurch District Court before Judge Raoul Neave today and was remanded for sentence on March 23, when he will also face a charge of breach of community work.

Another is due to appear in court tomorrow, and two more on Friday, facing the same theft charges.

The police asked members of the public who were at Corsair Bay on November 16 to provide them with photographs ? particularly in the area of the raft ? to assist with the sexual violation investigation.

A few days later they said they had made some arrests for theft from the woman complainant and the first three were at court on December 3 charged with stealing various items.

All those items have now been consolidated into single charges against all four teenagers.