Man allegedly used ‘zombie’ game to lure and touch young girls

A Gympie region grandfather allegedly lured the girls into a false sense of security by playing a game with them at his home before raping or molesting them

A Gympie region grandfather is on trial in the District Court this week on seven charges of sexual misconduct, including two of rape, involving two children under the age of 16 who were in his care at the time.

A Gympie region grandfather is on trial in the District Court this week on seven charges of sexual misconduct, including two of rape, involving two children under the age of 16 who were in his care at the time.

It is alleged he used a chasing game to lure the girls into a false sense of security, before molesting them.

The man who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of rape and five of indecent treatment of a child under 16 in his care.

Crown Prosecutor J Gallagher told the court the two victims were both in primary school and were friends with his granddaughter, who also lived with him.

All seven alleged incidents happened in his home between 2016 and 2017, as his victims were often sleeping over with his granddaughter.

Ms Gallagher said the man used a chasing game called ‘Zombie’ to lure his victims into a false sense of security, before touching them inappropriately.

“It was, in effect, something like Tag; the defendant would pretend to be the zombie, they’d play it outside, he’d make noises, trying to catch the girls,” she said.

“This was a man who was trusted to care for these girls while he was at the house, and he abused that trust by abusing them.”

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In other instances, it is alleged he approached his victims himself.

Ms Gallagher mentioned specifically one alleged incident where he entered a room where one of the victims was sleeping, which happened to be shared with his own granddaughter, where he deliberately touched her chest.

Ms Gallagher told the court it wasn’t until April 2018, that his victims approached police with the details of their alleged assaults.

The court was closed for most of Tuesday as the jury heard evidence from several people, including the two victims and other young girls they had confided in.

The trial continues in the Gympie District Court on Wednesday, May 5.

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