Young Woman Needs Counseling Says Relative

The young woman at the centre of sex allegations involving Maori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels needs counseling says a relative today.

Speaking to the Kim Hill show this morning a cousin of the young woman’s mother, Rodney Tregerthan alleges his niece first had sex with Mr Samuels when she was just 15, in 1983.

He says the relationship ended in 1985 after he took her to have an abortion causing her tremendous distress and continued behavioural problems to the present day.

Mr. Tregerthan said the mother had approached Mr. Samuels early this year after being told he had fathered her daughter’s child.

The cousin said Mr. Samuels met with the mother and had agreed for a trust fund to be set up to give the daughter counseling. However nothing eventuated from the meeting and the mother had decided to speak out about the incident.

Asked about the woman's background Mr. Tregerthan told Kim Hill the young woman had a rough upbringing and had turned violent after the incident and was now “extremely dysfunctional” in relationships.

“Now every time there is a suggestion of sex or children heads get split” said the relative.

Pressure from Mr. Dover's side of the family and death threats from Mr. Samuels supporters has caused the women to go into hiding - leaving her home in Northland and traveling to a Wellington motel, Mr. Tregerthan said.

The cousin said the revelation Mr. Samuels was the father of the daughter’s child did not surface until a mother-daughter reconciliation earlier this year.

The mother had initially raised the allegations with National MP Chris Carter, but the cousin said the mother often erratic behaviour had caused him to dismiss the allegations.

The cousin said the woman’s mother also had a rough past with alcohol and drug problems and had spent time in prison.

Mr. Samuels stepped down from his ministerial duties yesterday after allegations surfaced of his sexual impropriety with an underage woman over fourteen years ago.

Mr. Samuels has admitted to having a relationship with the woman and procuring an abortion for her. However he says the sexual relationship with the woman came after she was over 16, the legal minimum age of consent.

This claim is currently being investigated by the police.

© Scoop Media