Defence urges jury in top Northland cop's sexual assault trial to use 'hard-headed analysis'

Kevin Burke denies allegations that he sexually assaulted two women.

The defence lawyer for a top Northland police officer has urged the jury to use logic and "hard-headed analysis" when considering its verdict.

Detective Inspector Kevin Burke faces four charges of sexual assault against two women, between 2002 and 2003 .

Arthur Fairley rubbished claims from the Crown that the two complainants' allegations were "not an extraordinary coincidence".

"You just have to look at the two complainants to see they are totally different," Mr Fairley told the jury.

"Be careful of this two-on-one sort of stuff," he added.

"Ask yourself at each turn; how plausible is this? Does it really hang together."

"This is not a popularity contest about who we like. There are no forensics to help us, it's word against word."

Earlier Crown prosecutor Jo Murdoch told the jury Burke abused the trust and confidence the two women placed in him.

"You can be sure both complainants were sexually assaulted, as they allege, when you consider the striking similarities… they were taken advantage of by the man whom they sought help from."

Both complainants were "vulnerable and susceptible to the defendant," she argued.

Burke denies all the charges.

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