More details around the John Banks' paternity case have been revealed.
Japan-based English teacher Antony Shaw has asked a judge to declare that the former politician is his biological father, after his mother allegedly had a relationship with him in the late 1960s.
Banks was a no-show in court again today for a half day hearing on the issue. Only Mr Shaw's lawyer Jacquie Lethbridge was present to make submissions on his behalf.
The court heard Mr Shaw's mother Pamela Mayes had a relationship with Mr Banks when she was working as a nurse. At the time Mr Banks was a salesman for a pharmaceutical company.
Ms Mayes says their relationship was such that her family considered them as "girlfriend and boyfriend". In a statement read to the court, she said she slept with Mr Banks at a motel, and is certain that's when she conceived Mr Shaw, as she'd recently come off the pill on advice from her doctor. She says she was only seeing Mr Banks at the time.
Mr Shaw was born in May 1970, which Ms Lethbridge told the court falls in line with the conception taking place in June 1969.
Ms Mayes said her relationship with Mr Banks went awry after she fell pregnant. She says he wanted her to get an abortion, and gave her drugs from the pharmaceautical company that he worked at.
She said she was too scared to take the pills. As a result she claims Mr Banks ended the relationship, and told her to tell people Mr Shaw was someone else's baby.
Ms Mayes did just that, claiming a Chinese man named Harry Wong who she met after she fell pregnant was the father. Despite this she never recorded his name on Mr Shaw's birth certificate.
The court heard Ms Mayes then reignited the relationship with Mr Banks until Mr Shaw was three years old. Ms Mayes said he took her to his family bach in Orewa, and even gave her money for a birthday present for Mr Shaw. Their relationship ended again not long after.
Ms Mayes said she finally told her son about Mr Banks in 1999. Mr Shaw then tried to seek out Mr Banks at Radio Pacific, and tracked him down at his house where he spoke to Mr Banks' wife Amanda. After getting no response he returned to Japan. His lawyer says her client was "relatively distraught over the matter", and only now launched legal proceedings several years later so he could raise his son first.
Justice Courtney today reserved her decision on the matter.
Outside court Mr Shaw's lawyer Jacquie Lethbridge said her client is extremely disappointed that he's had to endure lengthy and very public proceedings, and without any engagement from Mr Banks.
She reiterated that his motivation isn't money, and is purely about having clarity around who his father is.
Newshub.
