Stanthorpe man pleads not guilty to one charge of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child

The trial of a Stanthorpe man accused of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child has begun in Warwick District Court, with the Crown alleging he told the child he had a dream about her naked and that when ‘she turned 18 they could have sex’.

It was an alleged sinister “routine” occurring at night, where a Stanthorpe man conducted a majority of his sexual offending against a child in her own bed, including inappropriate touching “with regularity” police will allege.

The man - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - pleaded not guilty to one charge of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child on the first day of his trial in Warwick District Court on Monday.

Crown prosecutor Sam Rigby began his opening address in the trial by labelling the alleged offending as the man “taking advantage” of the complainant.

The child was aged between nine to 12 during the alleged offending period in Stanthorpe and Queensland.

Mr Rigby detailed how the Stanthorpe man allegedly had a sick bedtime “routine” with the child, where he would touch her genitalia above her clothes and under the blanket.

On one incident in 2017, the man allegedly took the child shopping, and went inside a store by himself, returning with a bottle of lubricant and told her “this is for when you want to pleasure yourself”.

“The offending progressed into 2018, from touching of the (genitalia) in the night-time to now touching and squeezing her breasts when he went to hug her, and he would wait until the pair were alone to give these types of hugs,” Mr Rigby alleged.

The Crown said the last time the alleged victim remembered this offence occurring was in Brisbane.

On another occasion in Queensland, the man and the alleged victim were alone in a ute, when the man produced a black plastic bag which contained sex toys with the man explaining what they were used for, the Crown alleges.

“(The jury) will see photographs of these items which were subsequently found at the defendants’ address during a police search,” Mr Rigby said.

In late 2019 or early 2020, also in Brisbane, police will allege the man told the child he had dreams of her lying naked “for when he came in and did the night-time routine”.

“He also said they could have sex when she turns 18,” Mr Rigby said.

It wasn’t until the alleged victim was at school in a sexual education class, where she realised the alleged crimes the man was committing and “what he was doing was wrong”.

Later the child reported the matter to a member of her church, and then later police, with both expected to give evidence for the Crown.

The court was closed for the remainder of the day as several child witnesses were called to give evidence.

The trial continues Tuesday under Judge John Allen KC.