Auckland restaurant owner Philip David Sturm is continuing to deny charges of forced sex in an ongoing trial at Auckland's High Court, the latest involving a series of encounters with a 22-year-old staff member. The staff member had told the court that Sturm had followed him into a toilet in late 2001 and forcibly performed a sex act on him, as an example of one occasion where he had not consented to sex. Sturm testified that his memory of the encounter was sketchy, but that it was definitely consensual. "It was mutual. There were two people, both involved in similar activity. It wasn't one sided, never has been and never will be." Sturm said the pair kept in phone contact, and went on to describe later encounters where he said sex was also consensual, and in some cases instigated by the complainant, illustrated at their last meeting in Sturm's office where Sturm says the complainant rubbed Sturm's groin with his foot "to instigate some man-to-man conduct". It was highly likely drugs had been consumed, because it was possible the man wanted to see him to obtain drugs, Sturm added. Sturm has pleaded has pleaded guilty to charges of supplying drugs, but has pleaded not guilty to ten charges of sexual violation and eight of stupefying with intent in the ongoing trial.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 15th November 2003 - 12:00pm