The casual sex, drug use and 'attention from women” that accompanies the entertainment industry was laid bare at the trial of an entertainment industry figure facing a raft of sex crime charges spanning almost a decade.

The man at the centre of the trial cannot be named for legal reasons after Justice Layne Harvey ruled on Wednesday that he would keep his name suppressed until verdicts are reached on the 25 charges he is facing.

At his High Court trial in Rotorua, a former associate of the man, who also cannot be named to protect the identity of the defendant, answered questions from defence lawyer Ron Mansfield KC.

He was asked about a group chat he shared with the defendant called 'first we eat then do shave”, which he admitted related to cocaine use.

Asked directly whether he had been a regular user of cocaine, he replied simply 'yes”.

He also confirmed men in the sector would 'get attention from women”, and whether men in the industry aged in their 40s would have sexual relationships with women in their 20s, which he also confirmed.

Under earlier questioning from Crown prosecutor Anna Pollett, the man said he was told by a third colleague about an alleged sexual assault the defendant had committed.

The alleged assault took place at a property where the defendant, and the other associate, were present.

He said the other associate told him the woman 'was very distraught and terrified [the defendant] would come back into the room”.

He said he discussed this with the man and told him he needed to report it to police as 'it was that serious”.

He also spoke about a meeting arranged with the defendant and the other associate to discuss the alleged assault, and its impact on their shared businesses.

The entertainment figure is charged with a raft of sex crimes but legal suppression prevents him being named or identified. Photo: Stuff.

'[The defendant] said that [the complainant] and him had kissed and she asked for it to stop and she felt guilty and that he didn't stop, tried to kiss her again and that was it,” he said.

'He knows he shouldn't have tried to kiss her, and none of the other stuff she was saying was true.

The man said he took the claims seriously, however, 'because of past rumours and allegations against [the defendant]”.

'This one, the evidence was too strong.”

He also later said that the defendant was the subject of 'a lot of chatter” in the sector about abuse allegations.

He said he and their fellow associate decided they needed to separate their business interests from the man, something Mansfield took aim at.

'An opportunity for you to move [the defendant] to one side and acquire his financial interests,” he asked, which the man denied.

Mansfield also prompted the man to admit he had not been 'full and frank” when speaking to police.

'Not completely ... I thought it was [the other associate's] place to tell them all the details he had told me.”

Mansfield also said he had 'orchestrated in days” the defendant's ousting from their shared dealings, which he also denied.

The man faces 25 charges, including rape, indecent assault, sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, assault with intent to commit sexual violation, attempted sexual violation, indecent assault and attempting to pervert justice.

The trial is set to continue and is expected to last a further four weeks.

-Benn Bathgate/Stuff.