Trial of Warwick man accused of six counts of indecent treatment of children, 13, 10, continues

The parents of two boys who were the alleged victims of indecent treatment have revealed in court the aftermath of the accused’s offending during day two of a Warwick man’s trial.

Day two of the trial of a Warwick man accused of committing sexual offences against two children, one of which was in his care, revealed new evidence of what occurred in the aftermath of the alleged offending.

The man – who cannot be named for legal reasons – has pleaded not guilty to all six charges on Tuesday, including, two counts of unlawfully and indecently dealing with a child under 16, two counts of unlawfully and indecently dealing with a child under 12 and two charges relating to indecent exposure while under care.

The court was told on Tuesday the boys were aged 10 and 13 at time of the alleged offending.

Crown prosecutor Jennifer O’Brien called the mother of the two boys to give evidence, revealing what occurred in the aftermath of the accused's visit to a home in June 2021.

The woman told the jury that the man was left with the two boys while she was travelling to Toowoomba for the day.

The court was told how almost immediately after the man left his stay at the home, the 10-year-old boy ran to the woman crying about what had happened.

“He told me he had held him down, kissed him and tried to insert his penis,” the woman told the court, “he tried to touch him”.

“He kept crying, he was hysterical, a blubbering mess. I didn’t ask further questions at the time as I didn’t want to push him.”

The woman gave evidence that the 13-year-old boy ran into the room after hearing the younger boy cry and admitted “I’m sorry, I thought if he did it to me, he’d leave the other kids alone”.

The older boy then told the woman that the man had also tried to kiss and touch him.

“He was agitated, angry and hurt,” the woman told the court.

Following this, two other children came into the room and the woman asked if the man had ever done anything to them.

The woman testified that the 10-year-old said “he won't, he likes boys our age” and revealed he had been scared that the man would be sent to pick them up from a disco days earlier.

The Crown also called the father to take the stand and give evidence.

The father of the boys told the court the woman then rang him shortly after the revelation and that he could hear them in the background of the call sounding “very upset”.

“I heard the 13-year-old saying that he hated the man, and the 10-year-old was crying,” he said.

“He said the man had pinned him to the bed by the throat and told him to shut up before letting him go, but I couldn’t understand much as he was very upset.”

The father then got off the phone and confronted the accused, who he had driven home, which led to an argument between the pair.

“He shouted ‘no one believes me’,” the man told the court.

Defence lawyer Jens Streit cross-examined the father and asked how the accused reacted when confronted.

“You told the man what you had been told in the phone call, and he looked absolutely shocked when you put it to him and told you that nothing happened,” Mr Streit asked the father.

The father then revealed the man’s exact words were “nothing happened, I promise you I didn’t do anything”.

“The argument became more heated and he packed his bags and left,” Mr Streit said.

“That’s right,” the father said.

The Crown closed its case on Wednesday afternoon, with the trial continuing Thursday when the man is expected to testify.