Former State Opera artistic director Timothy Sexton exposed himself during explicit sex chat with teenage girl, abuse trial told
Renowned SA composer and conductor Timothy Adrian Sexton’s sexually explicit comments to three teenage girls he abused included giving a nickname to his penis, prosecutors have alleged.
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Arts identity Timothy Adrian Sexton dropped his pants in front of a teenage girl, exposed himself and told her “I would like you to meet Percy”, a court has heard.
On Wednesday, prosecutors continued their case against the State Opera of SA’s former artistic director by detailing his “risque” comments toward his alleged victims.
Carmen Matteo, prosecuting, said one of the girls – now a grown woman – would give evidence of having made a joke to Sexton while they were sitting in his car.
“She (told Sexton) she had heard that men were unable to find the clitoris without an arrow pointing to it,” she said.
“The accused placed his hand down her pants, and his reply was ‘well, I don’t seem to be having any trouble finding yours’.
“At one (later) point, the accused lowered his pants, exposed his erect penis and said ‘I would like you to meet Percy’.”
Sexton, 59, of Birdwood, has pleaded not guilty to 17 sex offences including maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child, unlawful sexual intercourse and indecent assault.
He allegedly “gradually, carefully and effectively seduced” the girls, each of whom had a crush on and was “beguiled” by him, and abused them between 1989 and 1993.
Continuing her opening address on Wednesday, Ms Matteo said Sexton’s actions carried “the hallmarks of a romantic relationship”, ensuring each girl’s loyalty.
His abuse of the first girl, she said, ended when he turned his attentions toward his third victim.
She said his second victim ended the supposed “relationship” upon detecting his interest in her had “waned”.
Ms Matteo said the third victim was less welcoming to Sexton’s advances, telling him, “‘I just feel sorry for your wife’.”
That girl, she said, later received a delivery of flowers from Sexton as an apology.
She subsequently approached one of her high school teachers and disclosed the abuse.
Ms Matteo said Sexton had denied any wrongdoing when interviewed by police in 2017.
“He said (the second girl) was ‘very gregarious’ and there was ‘no question she had a crush’,” she said.
“He said she had been cautioned for ‘being a bit too full on’ and that ‘interestingly, there was one instance when she planted a kiss on me completely out of the blue’.
“He said (the third girl) was ‘very liberal’ talking about sex and that he had ‘castigated’ her about this but ‘went a bit overboard’ and sent her flowers as an apology.”
Heath Barklay SC, for Sexton, told jurors his client maintained his innocence.
He said the women’s “reliability and credibility” would be in issue as their evidence “does not amount to proof”.
The trial continues.