Man threatened to cut off 86-yr-old's genitals, court told

Man threatened to cut off 86-yr-old's genitals, court told

NZPA | Tuesday, 24 July 2007

The trial of a man alleged to have threatened to cut off an 86-year-old man's genitals in a Hastings home invasion almost 15 months ago has begun although the victim is unable to give evidence because of his age.

Instead, Constable Neil Baker, a Waipukurau police officer who was stationed with the Hastings CIB at the time of the attack, read a statement from an interview with the victim at his home on the day afterwards.

Appearing in the High Court at Napier, Moses Mohi Taua, 33, of Hastings, pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery relating to offences allegedly committed while armed with a pair of scissors on May 5 last year, a charge of kidnapping by causing the man to be confined, and a charge of indecent assault.

Mr Baker first spoke with the victim in Hawke's Bay Hospital a few hours after the pensioner was attacked in his bed at home in Tomoana Road, about 2am.

Bruised about his face and body, and cut below one eye, he was discharged after treatment.

He told the constable he was woken by a stranger standing over his bed, demanding money. He said he had RSA raffle winnings in the house, but had no intention of letting the intruder know.

The assailant punched him many times as he became more and more frustrated between searches of the house.

The intruder then made him undress, grabbed the victim's penis and, threatened to cut it off with a pair of scissors if he didn't say where the money was.

The victim was shoved into a wardrobe, and waited several minutes before creeping out and establishing the intruder had left.

The case is proceeding in the High Court at Napier.