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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Hannah Neale

Accused child molester 'feels very sad'

A family friend accused of molesting two sisters has told jurors he "feels very sad" about the allegations.

The man is accused of indecently assaulting the girls, with the youngest aged six or seven at the start of the alleged crimes, which spanned several years.

The ACT Supreme Court jury trial continued on Wednesday.

The man has pleaded not guilty to four counts of committing an act of indecency on a young person, four counts of committing an act of indecency without consent, and one count of sexual assault in the third degree.

Giving evidence to the court on Wednesday, the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied the accusations.

"I feel very sad that I'm alleged to have done things that I didn't do," he stated.

When prosecutor Trent Hickey put to the man that he "seemed very calm", the accused responded: "I've had a lot of time to process things".

"I may look calm but I'm incredibly nervous," he said.

The man, now aged 30, told the court he was sad about "the situation it has put my family in".

He agreed the youngest sister would sit on his lap but he "was never doing anything suspicious".

"Sometimes kids just come and sit on your lap," the man told the jury.

The court previously heard allegations that the girls' mother had found scrunched up pieces of paper under her youngest's bed.

Mr Hickey said the mother had started reading the notes which contained the words "I was molested" and "he would make me sit on his lap".

The girl is said to have then disclosed the alleged assault to her mother by writing a note on her phone.

The prosecutor argued evidence would show that the man, who was the son of family friends, had touched the genitals and kissed the sisters when they visited his house.

Mr Hickey alleged that the accused had asked the youngest girl to sit on his lap when she was aged six or seven, before touching her arms, kissing her and rubbing her genitals.

"[The girl] felt she couldn't move and she felt confused, and didn't really understand what was going on," he said.

The man is also accused of indecently assaulting and sexually assaulting the older sister, starting when she was aged 14 or 16.

One of the allegations involved the accused grabbing the older girl, pulling her into his bedroom, pushing her down on a bed and trying to kiss her.

Giving evidence, the accused denied ever being sexually attracted to the girls and said the alleged conduct would be viewed as "extremely inappropriate" in his community.

The trial continues.

The ACT courts building, where the man is facing a trial. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong
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