Earl and Richie Campbell trial: Summarizing inconsistencies in rape accusers’ evidence

Prosecutors allege Campbell lured a 15-year-old girl to Impact attack He kidnapped, raped and sexually assaulted her within 48 hours in November 2020.

It began in the early hours of November 8, 2020, when a van rammed through the locked gates of the Pettigrew Green Arena, a sports and events centre in Taradale, Napier.

this Prosecutors’ allegations Campbell was driving the van with the girl in the passenger seat as it drove down a corridor and hit an ATM.

The ATM was then allegedly taken to the home of Campbell’s father, Richie Campbell, 63, where it was opened and $19,800 was withdrawn.

Prosecutors said the girl was locked in a room at Ricky Campbell’s home and taken to a motel the next day by Earl Campbell, where she was raped and sexually assaulted.

Earl Campbell faces 11 charges, including rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, strangulation, aggravated burglary, illegal possession of a firearm and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Ricky Campbell was charged with kidnapping for allegedly locking the girl in a room and taking part in the theft afterward, using a grinding wheel to open the ATM machine.

Both suspects have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Crown says it’s about the “big picture”

The young woman, whose name is subject to statutory suppression, is a relative of a long-time drug-dealing associate of Earl Campbell, the court heard.

Prosecutor Clayton Walker told the jury to look at the “big picture” of the case and asked whether the girl’s statement made sense on its own and compared with other evidence.

“If she is telling the truth about what happened to her, then she did have a traumatic experience,” Walker said.

“If you believe the substance of her allegations, then they are proven.”

Walker said the girl described in great detail what happened to her, which he described as “the worst time of her life.”

The jury had seen as evidence a transcript of an interview she gave when she was 16.

“Is this account fake?” he asked.

Another relative gave evidence that the girl was in a “completely different emotional state” when she returned three days after her disappearance, but would not talk about it.

Walker said she later considered suicide.

Walker said Earl Campbell’s partner, Linda Kelly, indicated in a text message that Earl Campbell had also been “missing” for about three days during the same period.

During a police interview about the crash 18 months after the incident, the girl revealed the alleged sexual assault.

Walker said the trial had learned how terrifying Earl Campbell was.

“Does it make sense for her to make up false accusations against him?

“That’s the key question — is she telling the truth on the key issues?”

Earl Campbell told the jury he was not guilty of any of the crimes prosecutors had charged him with.

He was at home with Kelly when the gym was raided, and he was with her the next night when she and her relatives went to a motel to buy marijuana.

Partners are “honest witnesses”

He said Kelly had provided evidence to support the claim and was an “honest witness”.

Campbell used profanities to describe them, saying he hated those who sexually assaulted underage girls.

He said the young woman had been interviewed by police six times, but details had changed in the interview notes.

He said: “Lies can change…but the truth is eternal.”

He said prosecutors had failed to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt on any of the charges.

“The only safe verdict is not guilty.”

Scott Jefferson, an attorney for Richie Campbell, said the girl was taken to the police station by a relative because he “held a grudge” against Earl Campbell.

He said she lied.

“It’s as obvious as the nose on your face,” Jefferson said.

“The problem with this case is that she is not a credible or reliable witness.”

On Monday, Judge Helen Cull will address the jury of eight women and four men before the jury retires to consider the verdict.

Rick Stevens worked for the former Press Association of New Zealand for many years, including as a parliamentary political reporter, before holding senior positions at a number of daily newspapers. He joined NZME’s open justice team in Hawke’s Bay in 2022. His writing on crime and justice is informed by his four years of frontline experience as a probation officer.