‘They were both naked in the bathroom’: Gympie child sex abuse trial continues

Distressing content warning. Shocking details emerge in the trial of former Gympie Jehovah’s Witness church member charged with multiple, historic child sex offences.

Disturbing allegations have been heard at the trial of a 30-year-old woman defending historical child sex charges in the Gympie District Court.

Disturbing allegations have been heard at the trial of a 30-year-old woman defending historical child sex charges in the Gympie District Court.

The woman, who was a family friend of the victim during the alleged offending, pleaded not guilty to two charges of rape, and nine charges of indecent treatment of a child under 12 years.

The court heard from multiple witnesses on Thursday (July 15) afternoon, all understood to be siblings of the alleged victim.

One said the defendant and her family “came over daily” and were at the alleged victim’s house “all the time”.

The witness said the defendant and the alleged victim would very often “disappear” together, and she would often find them “hiding in the house” together when looking for them.

She said the alleged victim would be “quiet” and not answer her whenever she was asked what the pair were doing together.

The witness would go on to describe an occasion in which she saw the two of them “naked in the bathroom”, and could see them in bath together.

She told the court she tried to enter the bathroom but it was locked, and heard the defendant making “shushing noises” as well as water splashing after asking the pair what they were doing.

The witness described herself asking to be let in the bathroom, and the defendant telling her she had been given permission to give the alleged victim a bath.

Another witness, believed to be the alleged victim’s brother, told the court both families were part of the local Jehovah’s Witness community, and the defendant’s family would come to visit them “four to five times” a week.

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He said the defendant would often sleep in the alleged victim’s room when they were staying together, and while his sister initially showed excitement when the defendant and her family would come over, she eventually became “resentful” and avoidant of the defendant.

The trial continues.