New Zealand

Colin Craig loses appeal in long sexual harrassment saga

11:43 am on 4 May 2021

Former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig has lost his bid to overturn a court finding that he sexually harassed his press secretary.

Former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook

Today's Court of Appeal decision is the latest chapter in a years-long legal saga over the fallout from the 2014 election campaign, when Craig's staffer Rachel MacGregor suddenly resigned.

The appeal relates to a 2019 High Court judgment in Craig's defamation case against MacGregor.

Colin Craig's former press secretary Rachel MacGregor. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Justice Hinton found Craig and MacGregor had defamed each other to some extent.

But she also found Craig had sexually harassed his former employee - making her the third judge to reach that conclusion.

Craig went to the Court of Appeal to challenge that.

But the Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeal and ordered Craig to pay costs.