An 81-year-old Invercargill man has been found guilty by a jury on eight historical sex charges.
At the Invercargill District Court yesterday, the man was convicted on five charges of indecent assault and three of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection that occurred between 2007 and 2009.
His interim name suppression was continued until sentencing on November 7.
During the four-day-trial the jury heard the man would massage the victim’s legs when she was between 11 and 13.
That progressed into inappropriate touching and sexual violation.
"It starts bit by bit by bit," Crown Prosecutor Mary-Jane Thomas said.
The court heard the defendant would buy the victim many gifts, including cigarettes and alcohol.
"This was a way of ensuring this child did not say anything," Ms Thomas said.
In response, he tipped out the alcohol he had bought her and ran the cigarettes under water.
After she confronted him, there was no further offending, she said.
Her mother gave evidence and said she found a letter the girl had written regarding the matter that started: "Please help me God".
The defendant denied all offending and said he could not remember many details due to the age of the case.
"The defendant was as sharp as anything when he was giving evidence, because he was able to pivot when he needed to," Ms Thomas said in her closing.
Counsel Hugo Young disagreed.
"You need to cut ... all [of] the witnesses a break when it comes to memory of the finer details," he said.
"We don’t know and can’t say why [the girl] has lied about this, because the defendant can’t read her mind, you can’t read her mind, I can’t read her mind."
But the jury rejected the defendant’s evidence.
Judge Duncan Harvey remanded the man in custody until his sentencing.
