Rural Fire Service superintendent Corey Anthony Philip, 44, fights historic Tweed child sex assault charges
A Rural Fire Service superintendent who has been accused of getting a boy drunk and sexually assaulting him in the Tweed 20 years ago is fighting allegations.
Police & Courts
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A Rural Fire Service superintendent has strongly denied getting a 14-year-old boy drunk and sexually assaulted him in the Tweed two decades ago.
Corey Anthony Philip, 44, is facing an ongoing jury trial in Lismore District Court.
Mr Philip – from Coonabarabran and linked in court documents to NSW RFS Castlereagh zone – has pleaded not guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child under 16, sexual intercourse with a person aged 14-16 years old and aggravated indecent assault of a child under 16.
The trial before Judge Robert Newlinds began on Monday.
Tweed-Byron Police District officers arrested Mr Philip at work in Tamworth on February 24 last year – about 15 months after allegations were made, defence barrister Mark Higgins told the court.
Mr Philip emphatically denied preying on the man as boy and declared: “No way, not at all”, the defence said.
It’s alleged the offending took place against the complainant in the Tweed in the early 2000s.
During a police interview played to the jury, Mr Philip spoke of exploring his sexuality, but said at the time of the alleged offending he had “no interest at all” in the complainant, who was 10 years his junior.
The court heard Mr Philip was working in a supermarket at the alleged time of the offences, but police did not check out his rosters or alibi.
While being questioned, Mr Philip denied all allegations directed at him by the prosecution.
Mr Philip’s father and brother also told the court there was no sexual activity between the accused and the alleged victim.
The trial continues.
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