Accused of sexually abusing cadets

A former St John supervisor is accused of sexually abusing three male cadets in his care in the 1970s.

John Millar Dick (65) pleaded not guilty to four charges of indecent assault and one of sodomy yesterday when his trial began in the Dunedin District Court.

It is alleged Dick used his position of responsibility at St John to interfere with three pre-teen boys between 1970 and 1976.

The first complainant approached police with sexual allegations in 2015 after counselling enabled him to ``rediscover'' old memories, the court heard.

When officers approached other men from the same cadet class, the two other complainants stepped forward with their allegations.

Crown prosecutor Robin Bates told the jury Dick took the first complainant to Invercargill to watch some motor racing at Teretonga Park.

``I remember being concerned there was only one bed,'' the complainant said.

``I don't recall what I said to him. I do recall him saying it must've been a mistake with the booking.''

But the pair ended up sleeping in the same bed, the court heard.

``I remember [him] fondling me in the genital area. I remember being very upset about that,'' the witness said.

``I'd never had any sexual encounter like that before so it was all very strange. I just wanted to go home to my mother.''

Mr Bates, in opening the Crown case, said over the next two years Dick molested and kissed the complainant in a store cupboard at a St John depot in Dunedin.

The second complainant told police he had camped in a tent with the defendant in Karitane during his childhood when he had been targeted.

He is also expected to tell the court Dick would give him a lift home after attending St John.

``The defendant would often buy [the boy] an ice cream and take him to a secluded area,'' Mr Bates said.

``He will say he knew it was wrong but because Mr Dick was a St John teacher, he looked up to him and allowed him to do this.''

It is alleged the defendant would tell the complainant to explain to his parents that class finished late, to excuse the delay in getting home.

The final complainant - the subject of the most serious charge - told police he went on a St John camping trip.

It is alleged some of the cadets consumed alcohol with Dick.

The complainant will tell the jury his head was spinning when he retired to his bunk but he remembered the complainant slipping in behind him before he fell asleep.

It is alleged Dick sodomised him and then woke up the next day and hurriedly washed the sleeping bag.

Defence counsel Anne Stevens stressed to the jury the matters were said to have happened up to 47 years ago.

Dick denied any inappropriate conduct with his former cadets and said he did not even know the third complainant.

Mrs Stevens said the first man had come forward with a concocted story and the others had followed suit.

``These [allegations] have in part come as a personal excuse for [the first complainant's] feelings and represent his jealousy of Mr Dick who in comparison to [him] has been successful,'' she said.

The trial before Judge John Macdonald and a jury of seven men and five women is expected to last four days.

rob.kidd@odt.co.nz

 

 

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