Arthur Allan Thomas trial: Woman ‘wanted apology’ for historical sex offending, jury hears

Arthur Allan Thomas is facing five charges relating to historical sex offending. Photo / File

“All I wanted was an apology that I did not get,” a woman said in the trial of Arthur Allan Thomas – pardoned of the infamous 1970 Crewe murders – who is facing multiple charges of historical sexual offending.

The woman claimed to have been indecently assaulted at least three times by Thomas and enticed to participate in a sexual act with others, which led her to “hit the bottle”.

Thomas was twice convicted of the murders of Harvey and Jeanette Crewe before being pardoned and compensated with $950,000.

A petition that circulated in 2019 calling for Thomas to receive a formal apology from police “was the straw that broke the camel’s back” for one complainant, who then decided to disclose the alleged sex offending to police, the court heard.

“I didn’t see why Arthur Thomas should expect an apology when he didn’t give an apology to us,” she told a jury.

Thomas, now 83, is in Manukau District Court facing four charges of indecent assault and one charge of rape after two complainants came forward to police in 2019.

Arthur Allan Thomas is on trial at Manukau District Court, facing five charges of historical sexual offending. Photo / File

Today one complainant described how Thomas inappropriately touched her genitals without her consent, and forced her to touch his on a separate occasion.

“He got his hand and he showed me how I had to do it,” she said in a police interview played to the court.

Another time she alleged she was coerced by Thomas to lie on a bed while a male lay on top of her, with others in the room.

“[Arthur] was the one that got us into the room … he was the one that said: ‘Get on the bed’.”

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She had to remove her trousers, she said in the police interview. Thomas stayed standing in the room, watching.

“I got through it by just sort of binge drinking. Every three weeks I’d hit the bottle,” she said.

She claimed Thomas wrote a letter to her saying he could not “take responsibility” for the alleged offending.

Defence counsel claim the allegations made against Thomas are to do with the issue of money.

“I wasn’t interested in money, full stop,” the complainant said under cross examination by Marie Dyhrberg, QC.

“I didn’t want any money from Arthur Thomas, I wanted an apology.”

The first complainant gave evidence from the dock on Tuesday after her police interview was played to the court.

Extensive suppression orders prevent the Herald from publishing further information, such as when and where the alleged offending took place.

The two complainants have automatic name suppression.

Thomas denies any offending took place.

He greeted Judge John Bergseng today with a loud “Good morning your Honour” before sitting in the dock. He was asked to notify Judge Bergseng if he could not hear what was being said in court.

On Monday, his lawyer Marie Dyhrberg QC said the allegations were a fabrication.

“These allegations are not true. [Thomas] is crystal clear on that position.

“These allegations did not happen.”

A complainant told the jury today: “It’s not fabricated. It happened”, while under cross examination.

The trial is set down for 10 days.

Thomas was twice found guilty of the infamous murders of Harvey and Jeanette Crewe who were shot dead in their Pukekawa farmhouse in June 1970 and dumped in the Waikato River.

Harvey and Jeanette Crewe were shot dead in their Pukekawa farmhouse in June 1970. Photo / File

But after nine years behind bars he was granted a pardon after an investigation ordered by the Government.

A 1980 Royal Commission of Inquiry found that a cartridge case in the Crewes’ garden – said to have come from a rifle belonging to Thomas – was planted at the scene by detectives.

Thomas was granted a royal pardon and awarded $950,000 in compensation.

The Crewe murders remain unsolved, while Thomas has never received a formal apology from the Government or police.

Arthur Thomas, pictured at the Royal Commission of Inquiry in 1980. Photo / File