One of New Zealand’s most influential businessmen, Sir James Wallace, can now be named as the man convicted of indecently assaulting and sexually violating young men at his Auckland mansion.
Sir James, 85, had name suppression in place for several years, but that expired today.
Making his money in the meat industry, Sir James became known as a generous funder of arts projects. He was knighted for this in 2011.
He had links to a variety of institutions such as the New Zealand Opera, Auckland Philharmonic, New Zealand ballet - to just name a few.
But at a trial in the High Court in Auckland in 2021, it emerged he used this position of power to indecently assault and sexually violate several young men.
In total, he was found guilty of sex crimes against three men in the early 2000s, 2008, and 2016.
The first victim said he had been invited to the businessman's house for a dinner in the early 2000s.
“He was just so close, sort of looking me over. Like I was an object, I wasn’t a person. Something he was critically judging,”
But when he left the house, and went to shake the businessman's hand, he said the rich-lister thrust his hand down his trousers, underwear, and grabbed his genitals.
“He grabbed it pretty hard,” said the man.
“It was just the smell I most remember...the muskiness, the sweat, alcohol.”
A second man gave the court a similar account of when he visited the businessman's house in 2008 - after he too had been invited for dinner.
He claimed the businessman drugged him during his visit, which ended after he claimed the businessman squeezed his bottom saying, "you have such a nice ass" and kissed the back of his neck.
He also accused Sir James of drugging him.
A third man said he was staying at the businessman's house when he said he was assaulted in 2016.
He told the court he was sick that evening, but when he was in his bed the businessman climbed into his bed, "spooning" him.
The man said the rich-lister reached inside his shorts and began masturbating him.
After being taken to hospital, he told nurses and then the police about what happened.
Sir James was also convicted for perverting the course of justice after being involved in a conspiracy to stop the 2016 complainant from going to the police - performer Mika X, PR agent Jevan Goulter were also involved, as well as Allison Edmonds and a former manager of Sir James.
Mika X admitted his part after he was secretly recorded trying to dissuade the complainant from talking with the police.
He would not comment to 1News after he was sentenced to 11-months home detention for his part.
The second part of the plot involved Goulter and Edmonds posing as talent agents, and luring the complainant to the Gold Coast with promises of overseas job contracts and cash.
That was ultimately unsuccessful, with those involved caught on another secret recording made at late night meeting at Auckland’s Family Bar.
In that recording, Goulter, Edmonds and the manager can be heard discussing the plot.
“My friend’s Samoan and he’ll either arrange the deal or put [the complainant] in a body bag…I’m not joking,” Goulter can be heard saying.
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