Rockdale sexual touching charge: Con Calin pleads not guilty
The friends of an elderly Sydney man grieving the loss of his wife, his children and his dog – who was his sole companion – have insisted an encounter with two teenage girls which resulted in him being charged with sexual touching was a misunderstanding.
St George Shire Standard
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An elderly man has denied sexually touching a teenage girl at a southern Sydney bus stop – and those that know and love him have written several letters to the court claiming it is all a complete misunderstanding.
Constantin Calin, 78, was charged with sexual touching and two counts of common assault after police say he kissed a 16-year-old girl’s hand and sexually touched another as they waited for a bus on Geeves Ave, Rockdale on December 28 last year.
But Calin’s friends and supporters - among them a chaplain, a neighbour and a supermarket worker - say he is a kind man who has suffered terrible loss and meant no harm by his affectionate greetings.
Baptistcare HopeStreet chaplain Eddie Vassallo said Calin – who likes to be known as Con – did not mean to “offend or cause harm”.
“In the last few years Con has experienced some personal losses, his wife, son, and recently his dog,” Mr Vassallo wrote.
“He has a very sad disposition but he always greets people warmly – being European his greetings may come across as peculiar.”
Mr Vassallo said Con was “huggy and kissy” and often “kisses people on the hand and sometimes on the cheek”.
Local supermarket worker Qiulin Li said she came to know him when she photographed him at his Woolloomooloo apartment for a university project.
“His apartment is full of photographs of his late mother and son, which he mourning (sic) everyday and talked me through the stories about them,” Ms Li wrote.
“I realised the suffering of his life and the kind heart he reminds.”
Ms Li said his only companion, his dog Chi-Chi, had recently died.
She wrote Con keeps his money and photographs of the people he loves, including his dog, in a DVD case, which the elderly man brought to court on Tuesday.
“From my experience with Con, I found his (sic) not good at English and loves to show his gratitude or blessing by kissing people’s hand or forehead which I believe it is out of kindness or Christian liturgy,” Ms Li wrote.
“I never found it offensive or inappropriate – therefore I can vouch for Con and believe his innocence.”
Con refused legal assistance when he attended Sutherland Local Court alone on Tuesday and formally pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Speaking outside court, he told media he was “dehydrated” and “dizzy” on the day in question.
His matter will return to court on September 15.