But the jury rejected her claims and Judge Michael Crosbie said he understood why they had reached the verdicts they did. The victim told the court on Monday he got back to the Maryhill boarding house after midnight on April 28 following a shift at work. While in the communal kitchen, he briefly saw Fusco and Kerr before Fusco returned to the room alone. The man gave Kerr and Fusco $400 but, crucially, took photos of the notes' serial numbers before handing them over. Fusco claimed she had no part in the blackmail and that it had been the victim who had groped her in the kitchen rather than vice-versa.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 16, 2018 16:18 UTC