Maryborough man stands trial over indecent treatment of a child

A Maryborough man, charged over the alleged indecent treatment of his stepdaughter, is on trial in Gympie District Court. Here’s how the first day unfolded.

A 46-year-old Maryborough man has denied molesting his former partner’s child.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty in Gympie District Court on Wednesday to indecent treatment of a child under 16 in his care.

The court heard the alleged offence took place on an unknown date between December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2017.

The man, pictured, is accused of inappropriately touching a young girl in his care between the end of 2015 and start of 2017.

The victim would have been 11 or 12-years-old at the time.

Crown Prosecutor Catherine Birkett said in her opening statements to the jury, the alleged victim’s mother suffered from health episodes, and on this particular day her daughter was left in her partner’s care.

She said the alleged victim was sleeping when she was woken by the man shaking her bunk bed.

“She will tell you that he told her something about her father coming to get her, before he tried to put his arm around her” she said.

“(The victim) will tell you the defendant started to go down near to her hip, and she told him to stop.”

The prosecution alleges inappropriate touching followed.

Gympie District Court heard the man allegedly woke the young girl up, and then tried to touch her inappropriately while she was wearing pyjamas.

Ms Birkett said the victim, terrified, hit the man and then ran to the bathroom and locked herself in for the night.

The next morning when she woke, he was gone.

Ms Birkett said it wasn’t until 2018, when she was approached by her father and uncle, that the young girl broke her silence about what allegedly happened that night.

Gympie District Court was closed for the remainder of Wednesday afternoon, as the jury heard video evidence from the young victim.

The trial will continue on Wednesday, November 11, 2021.