Grace was holidaying in Queenstown with her fianc\u00e9 to celebrate their engagement in October 2025.<\/p>\n
Her defence counsel DeAnne Nicoloso said after a night of \u201cexcessive binge drinking\u201d Grace ordered an Uber alone to go back to her accommodation.<\/p>\n
According to the summary of facts, Grace claimed she vomited in the initial Uber and was kicked out. It was then she ordered a second ride in which she claimed she was sexually assaulted by the driver.<\/p>\n
She then called her sister-in-law and told her about the alleged incident. The sister-in-law then called Grace\u2019s fiance.<\/p>\n
The woman alleged she was sexually assualted by an Uber driver. Photo \/ 123RF<\/p>\n
It was the fiance that called the police. <\/p>\n
Grace then gave a verbal and written statement to police and was referred to the Central Lakes Family Health Services and had a sexual health examination at Queenstown Medical Centre.<\/p>\n
The summary of facts said CCTV footage and Uber data disproved Grace\u2019s claim after a police investigation.<\/p>\n
Judge Sanjay Patel told the court it was then that Grace told police she did not want to proceed with the complaint to \u201csave yourself the stress\u201d.<\/p>\n
On returning to South Auckland she was arrested but stuck with her complaint that she had been sexually assaulted.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking at a young woman who has gone to Queenstown to celebrate an engagement. There has been excessive binge drinking on her part,\u201d Nicoloso told the court.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said she has a serious alcohol problem and is engaged in counselling.\u201d<\/p>\n
In her presentence report, her boss told her probation officer that she was a good employee and often went the extra mile to help people.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is a good person, she is an employed person, she has some issues. This has been a very significant event in her life,\u201d Nicoloso said.<\/p>\n