WARNING: This article discusses allegations of sexual assault and may be upsetting to some readers.

A woman claims she was quickly swept into a relationship by a man who “love-bombed” her, only to be left feeling trapped, isolated, and subjected to his allegedly relentless sexual demands.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identities of the women, has since last week been in the High Court at Whangārei defending 33 charges of sexual and physical violence relating to five female complainants.

Between 2000 and 2015, the man had consecutive relationships and fathered children with each woman.

Four of the women alleged they were repeatedly raped while in a relationship with him and some have reported physical abuse, including being hit, thrown or punched.

The Crown said he used manipulation to force consent, and several of the women have given evidence that they became so exhausted from his daily demands, they just gave in.

Three women testified during the first week of the trial, and on Monday a fourth complainant took the stand.

She met the man shortly after his previous relationship ended.

That woman told the court last week that she left the relationship traumatised with an unwanted pregnancy, but was devastated by how quickly he moved on.

The latest complainant said on Monday that she was unaware of the previous women or the number of children he had fathered.

She said she met the man through a work job, was “love-bombed”, moved to Ruakākā to live with him and quickly became pregnant.

At first, she said they were in the honeymoon phase and did not mind having sex, but as the relationship grew, things allegedly got worse.

She told the court the man moved her to a rural area, and removed her access to money, a phone or a vehicle.

“I felt trapped,” she said.

The woman told the court that when she found out she was pregnant, she was upset and the man allegedly told her she was to keep the baby and that she had no choice.

When she went into labour, they were eight hours from Northland, but the man allegedly insisted the baby be born in Whangārei and refused to take her to a closer hospital.

She claimed the man raped her at least twice, including once, allegedly, three weeks after giving birth.

“Over time, I stopped fighting. I just did what I could to survive,” she said.

She is the second woman in the trial to allege she was raped while still recovering from childbirth.

Throughout the relationship, she said, the man allegedly forced her into daily oral sex and became angry when he wasn’t getting what he wanted.

“We would have a good day, take the kids somewhere and do something cool, and I would think, ‘Yay, this is a normal relationship’, and I would get my hopes up and feel good. And then it would go back to being forced to do things, being s***-scared, and I would have to do what I was told.”

Defence lawyer Connor Taylor put to the woman that the sexual interactions were consensual.

“It was literally every day, give me something or I’ll be an arsehole, I’ll pester you, I’ll make you do it,” she told the court.

“You’re saying you’re raped, but in the moment this is what you agreed to,” Connor put to the woman.

“No, I was raped,” she responded.

A friend of the complainant testified on Tuesday, saying their contact became distant after the complainant met the man.

She told the court that one day, seemingly out of the blue, her friend reached out and revealed the man had been forcing himself on her, and she was planning to leave.

“She was extremely scared and crying, like no person I’ve ever seen,” the friend said.

The judge-alone trial continues before Justice Rebecca Edwards.

FAMILY VIOLENCE

How to get help: If you're in danger now: • Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people. Scream for help so your neighbours can hear you.
• Take the children with you. Don't stop to get anything else.
• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay.
Where to go for help or more information:
• Women's Refuge: Crisis line - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 (available 24/7)
• Shine: Helpline - 0508 744 633 (available 24/7)
• It's Not Ok: Family violence information line - 0800 456 450
• Shakti: Specialist services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and children.
• Crisis line - 0800 742 584 (available 24/7)
• Ministry of Justice: For information on family violence
• Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga: National Network of Family Violence Services
• White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women.
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Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.