A man who allegedly indecently assaulted a 6-year-old girl on Christmas Day two years ago, acted surreptitiously, the Crown says.
The jury trial of the 53-year-old Invercargill man accused of the alleged 2019 assault, began before Judge Robert Spear in the Invercargill District Court yesterday.
After jurors were given a rapid antigen test, Crown prosecutor Riki Donnelly said in his opening that after Christmas lunch had been eaten, a number of people who were at the house dispersed.
“They have a sit-down or rest, the kids go off to play with new toys.
“There’s a number of people in the house but they are all sort of doing their own thing.’’
It was then the man and the girl began playing with her Lego, both in the girl’s bedroom and at the kitchen table.
It was during this time the Crown alleges the offence took place with the man using a cushion on the girl’s lap to hide his actions, Mr Donnelly said.
"He’s done it surreptitiously as he’s used a cushion to cover up what he has been doing."
The offending went on for “quite some time" so it could not be described as inadvertent touching, Mr Donnelly said.
It began on the outside of her clothing with his hands then shifting to under her clothing.
The man then left the house to meet up with friends and that was when the girl told her mother what had happened, Mr Donnelly said.
Defence counsel Hugo Young gave a brief opening.
“In answer to this claim, the defence says he, the defendant (man named), was with the family for the Christmas celebrations in 2019.
He was sitting at the table in the dining room with the girl playing with her Lego, Mr Young said.
“But no, he did not touch (the girl) in the manner alleged.
“He never touched (her) in the genital area. This did not happen.’’
The trial is expected to continue for three to four days.
-- KAREN PASCO
