Two men who faced trial on allegations of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women in inner city Christchurch can still not be named following a court hearing today.
Name suppression arguments were heard this afternoon in the High Court following a six-week trial, where 32 women claimed they had been either drugged or sexually assaulted at Mama Hooch bar and a nearby restaurant between 2015 and 2018.
Prosecutors claimed the men had slipped drugs into drinks of some women and provided a white powder to others. Some of the women described horrifying scenes, saying they blacked out during demeaning sexual assaults.
Two men faced trial on allegations of drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women in inner city Christchurch. (Source: 1News)
Two men charged in the case – one aged 40, the other 37 – took an appeal to the High Court after a bid to keep in their names secret in the Christchurch District Court failed.
Today, lawyers for one of the men argued that publication would cause extreme hardship to a member of his family. Other arguments cannot be reported at this time.
Justice Jonathan Eaton heard arguments for around an hour and a half before reserving his decision to consider the outcome.
He has given lawyers until Monday to file further written submissions, with a decision likely by the end of next week.
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