Court told of mother's pregnancy to 15-year-old

A 33-year-old mother was charged with having sex with a minor three weeks after she found out she was pregnant to the boy, a court was told.

The woman was remanded on bail till February 13 for trial in the Timaru District Court after depositions before justices of the peace yesterday.

The woman uttered one word yesterday "No" when asked whether she wished to plead guilty to a charge of sexual connection with the boy, then aged 15, between July and September this year.

The woman and her former husband had known the boy and his family. The boy had often visited the couple's home.

The boy's mother told the court that she became suspicious of the pair's relationship because of the way they acted toward each other.

Her son moved into the woman's house in August, days after the woman's husband left the family home. The boy returned home briefly, but was back living at the woman's house in late August.

When the boy's mother found out the woman was pregnant, she told the defendant that she was sick, should think of her children and have an abortion.

The defendant's husband told the court he had tried to be a positive influence in the boy's life. He had confronted him about being in love with his wife and told him to back off. His wife had said she viewed the boy as a friend.

In mid-July she told her husband she was unhappy with their marriage and he left the family home. Days later, she told him their marriage was over. Soon after the husband left he became aware the boy had moved in.

Within a month he received a phone call from his wife. She was distressed and told him she was pregnant with the boy's child.

She told her husband she planned to have an abortion and he agreed to drive her to Christchurch for the procedure. She did not keep the appointment and the man laid a complaint with police.

Detective Kevin Byrnes told the court of going to the woman's house on September 8.

He told the boy he had to leave and was with him as he removed clothes from the main bedroom.

- © Fairfax NZ News