WARNING: This article references indecent assault and suicide Attack ‘destroys’ man’s life

• Published date: 26 July 2021

Before he was indecently assaulted, Skinner’s life was on the up. He had a start-up business, a new job, and people he thought were his friends.

Now he spends most days sitting alone in his apartment and says he’s lost count of the times he’s considered whether life is worth living.

“How many times can someone ask for help before they give up?”

Two years ago Skinner was unconscious in the back of a car when he says a man filmed while a woman repeatedly tried to insert an object into his anus.

He says the video was later sent to him over Facebook messenger by the man, who he met professionally.

Skinner is still traumatised by the indecent assault but says his treatment from authorities afterwards has left similar irreversible damage.

He’s waived his right to name suppression to tell his story — and to help others.

“I don’t believe I’ve been given a fair chance to rejoin society. And I believe I’m not the only one that’s suffered through this.”

At the time of the attack, he was just 21 and says he was mainly left in the dark about his case after he says his mother reported the incident on his behalf.

Other than a brief “tick box” chat to summarise what his mother had told police he claims he was never formally interviewed and is frustrated he didn’t get thoroughly questioned about the incident.

Police did not answer Herald inquiries on whether there was a formal interview. However they said there was “regular contact” with the victim’s nominated point of contact throughout the investigation and court process.

The Herald has seen screenshots, messages and videos that would appear to paint a much darker picture of what happened — one that Skinner believes was missed because he wasn’t properly questioned.

Skinner still wonders whether the court case outcome would have been different if authorities had access to these back then.

In the initial Palmerston North District Court case Judge Jonathan Krebs, who described the offending as “simply unacceptable” convicted the woman of indecent assault and the man of inciting indecent assault.

Both pleaded guilty to those charges. Both applied for discharge without conviction, which was declined at the time. They were sentenced to four weeks’ community detention and ordered to pay emotional harm reparation of $1000 each to Skinner.

Earlier this year they appealed the District Court decision and the High Court’s Justice Jillian Mallon granted them a discharge without conviction because she considered the District Court had...