Wife disputes hooker bill

CALL BACK: The high profile Lisa Lewis.

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A high-profile sportsman's wife threatened $1200-an-hour prostitute and stripper Lisa Lewis with a Disputes Tribunal case to recover thousands of dollars her husband paid her.

Sunday News obtained a series of communications between Hamilton-based Lewis and the sports star's wife – who wanted $3000 back from the former naked TV newsreader and celebrity streaker.

"I need you to repay back the money my husband gave you," the man's wife said in a text message sent on Tuesday evening.

"I am giving u the chance to do the decent thing first. We have 6 young children to support and we need that money repayed (sic)."

In a voice message left on Lewis' cellphone, the wife said: "You didn't actually provide him with any services. We can look at going to the Small Claims Court or something like that because really you need to repay it."

Sunday News agreed not to identify the man – a controversial figure over his sporting career – after his family said the story would affect his children.

Lewis refused to comment, but sources close to the mother-of-one said the sportsman was a regular client over three months and met her for one-hour bookings at a Hamilton motor inn.

Sunday News understands Lewis denies accepting thousands of dollars without providing the man a service.

"Because of (the man's) regular visits this was verification there was no problems with the services provided, hence the continuous re-visits," Lewis said in a text message to the wife.

Following Sunday News' inquiries, the sportsman issued a statement saying neither he nor his wife would pursue legal action against Lewis. "We are not in a financial position to take any form of legal action," he wrote.

The New Zealand Prostitutes Collective said the financial dispute involving the sportsman and Lewis was an unusual situation, but had nothing to do with the man's wife.

"I'm flabbergasted that a third party, regardless of who it is, has a say-so over a contract between two people," NZPC national co-ordinator Catherine Healey told Sunday News.

"I imagine the relationship between the husband and wife is fraught and I can appreciate her being infuriated to discover her husband has been involved in activities outside the relationship, especially because of the significant amount of money involved.

"But once a service has been provided, no one is allowed to take the money of the sex worker."

To do so could be a breach of the Prostitution Reform Act, which states no person can demand a sex worker return money after a service was provided.

Healey said Lewis' hourly rate was high even by international standards. She said the average amount of money a sex worker pocketed from a "full service" was $150.

"Lisa Lewis has a currency, she is known, she has a national and international profile and there are people who are willing to pay $1200 but I doubt there would be many."