Geoff Guest, 98, takes stand in defence of historic child sexual abuse charges
A recipient of an Order of Australia Medal for his service to youth and community has vehemently denied physically and sexually abusing a teenager on a remote property in the 1970s as he took the stand at his trial.
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A recipient of an Order of Australia Medal for his service to youth and community has vehemently denied physically and sexually abusing a teenager on a remote property in the 1970s as he took the stand at his trial.
Geoffrey John Guest, 98, who pleaded not guilty to six child sexual abuse charges in Cairns District Court, told the prosecutor: “You can’t get them with violence: horses, dogs or people.”
Mr Guest faces four counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16, repeated sexual conduct with a child under 16, and carnal knowledge of a child under 16.
Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald told the court the alleged offences occurred between 1975 and 1977 when Mr Guest was in his late 40s, submitting the teenager to “repeated and frequent” sexual abuse over two years.
Taking the stand Monday, Mr Guest strongly denied all allegations, calling them “completely false”.
Defence counsel Kelly Goodwin told jurors they would hear from up to 11 witnesses, including a documentarian who documented Mr Guest’s work with teenagers, attesting to his “excellent” character and community respect.
The court will hear Mr Guest was regarded as a “hero to kids with disabilities and other problems” who taught horsemanship and cattle mustering on Far North Queensland stations and was “kind to children”.
The court heard he had been awarded an Order of Australia Medal and a Federation Medal for his work in the community.
Mr Guest, who identifies as Indigenous, revealed he was never educated or schooled.
Under cross-examination, he admitted receiving harsh discipline as a child.
“That’s the reason I didn’t use violence. It’s not the way I handle people,” he said, denying he disciplined children similarly.
Earlier witnesses told the court they saw Mr Guest punch, kick and strike the alleged victim with a horse strap.
“I was not violent, definitely no. It’s not the way I handle people,” Mr Guest insisted.
“I was very aware of violence against people and animals.”
He said there was “no need” to discipline the boy, saying he was “very obliging”.
He denied telling the boy, “this is what all men do when women aren’t around”, after allegedly sexually abusing him, calling such claims “terrible”.
“People can control themselves. We are not animals,” he said, acknowledging he had sexual urges, but not toward the boy.
He denied he purposefully isolated the boy, but agreed the location was isolating in nature.
Mr Guest said his Petford training camp still operated but now worked with older people rather than troubled youth.
The alleged offences occurred before the Petford camp was opened at another location.
The trial continues with defence witnesses before closing arguments and jury deliberation.
Originally published as Geoff Guest, 98, takes stand in defence of historic child sexual abuse charges
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