Dairy Farmer Faces 38 Charges Including Rape, Bestiality, and Indecent Acts on Calves

A dairy farmer from the Far North is currently on trial at the Whangārei District Court, facing a staggering 38 charges of sexual assault, including 15 counts of rape, one charge of bestiality involving cows, and one charge of performing indecent acts on calves. The accused, whose identity has been suppressed, has allegedly committed these acts over a period spanning more than two decades.

Crown prosecutor Geraldine Kelly told the jury that the alleged abuse began when the man’s stepdaughter was under the age of 10 and escalated to near-nightly rapes over the course of a decade. The victim later disclosed being raped nearly 300 times, and she reportedly felt a sense of relief when the man underwent a vasectomy. 'Getting pregnant had been a concern for her before she was 12,' Kelly said.

Kelly explained that the girl remained silent out of love for her stepfather and confusion over her body’s response to the abuse. She also detailed the man’s alleged sexual offending against his wife, which allegedly occurred regularly due to the man’s daily requirement for sex.

The accused allegedly believed that rape didn’t exist and claimed all women eventually give in and enjoy sex, telling his wife, 'no means yes.' On one occasion, the man allegedly told his wife he had been having sex with some of the cows and showed her where and how he did it. During calving season, he allegedly made the calves perform oral sex on him, which the wife observed.

The Crown alleges that on at least 20 occasions, following the act with the calves, he would make his wife have sex with him. 'She told him she found it repulsive,' Kelly said. 'But he would just do it.'

The man’s defense lawyer, Mathew Ridgley, stated that there will be an explanation for the acts that will be presented later in the trial. However, he dismissed the alleged bestiality with cows as 'nonsense.' 'It’s a matter for you to decide whether what happened was indecent,' Ridgley said to the jury.

Ridgley also said his client acknowledged having sex with his stepdaughter but claimed it was consensual and occurred when she was over the age of 16. He further submitted that any sexual acts with his wife were consensual.

'We are not dealing with a case that is black or white. You 12 people are going to have to sift through the grey,' Ridgley requested of the jury.

The trial is expected to last three weeks before Judge Taryn Bayley, with the jury tasked with weighing the complex and disturbing allegations against the accused.