Kent Rowe fights allegations of sexual assault in Supreme Court trial

Closing arguments have been delivered in the week-long trial of Darwin man Kent Rowe who allegedly sexually assaulted a family member.

A Darwin man facing multiple charges of sexual assault said he “inspected” a family member’s genitals, a court has heard.

Kent Rowe shuffled in his seat as his own words were read aloud by Crown Prosecutor Tamara Grealy on Monday.

“I’m sorry for what I did to you. I’m sorry I did those things to you,” Mr Rowe was quoted saying.

“I’m taking full responsibility for the absolutely f — ked actions that I did back then.”

“What I did was abhorrent and I’m working to fix it.”

After a week-long trial, Ms Grealy told the Supreme Court jury to “keep the words of the accused in your mind”.

Rowe was accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a family member.

Ms Grealy said Rowe had admitted to “inspecting” the alleged victim’s genitals but has denied penetrating her.

Kent Rowe leaves his NT Supreme Court trial in Darwin on Monday September 5.

Ms Grealy said Rowe had claimed it was a game of “I show you mine if you whip yours out”.

“But it was not a game … what he described was deliberate,” she said.

The woman alleged she was repeatedly molested by Rowe, saying she once woke up to find him touching her.

Ms Grealy said Rowe once told the woman that the incidents were “something that they shared”.

“He tried to make it her shame as well,” Ms Grealy said.

The court heard the woman was unsure how many times Rowe had allegedly inappropriately touched her.

Ms Grealy alleged the abuse was so frequent, she compared it to memories of playing sport where individual games blur together “but it doesn’t mean that you didn’t regularly attend games”.

Ms Grealy said Rowe also had trouble remembering alleged incidents.

“That’s consistent with him not being prepared to remember or acknowledge the things that are particularly difficult for him to live with,” she said.

Kent Rowe leaves his NT Supreme Court trial in Darwin on Monday September 5.

When the allegations of sexual abuse emerged decades later, a long-time friend confronted Rowe with the question “what have you f — king done?”.

“It’s not like that — we were just … mucking around,” Rowe allegedly responded.

“These things happen. She did not have an issue.”

But Ms Grealy said the trauma was clear, with his alleged victim “breaking down” at moments during her “deeply troubling” testimony.

Ms Grealy said the alleged victim had disclosed the alleged abuse to close loved ones as far back as 16-years ago and had confronted Rowe in 2014, 2018 and 2021.

“Prior to 2016, she had just wanted ‘to ignore it and live my life’,” Ms Grealy said.

“She said she pushed it down and dealt with it.”

In a 2021 recording played to the court, she repeatedly accused him of rape and penetration in a heated phone call.

Ms Grealy said in the call Rowe never denied those allegations, instead “he accepted all of those things”.

Previously, Rowe told the court it was not an admission of guilt and he was just going along and apologising to calm her.

On Monday, the woman wiped away tears as her husband comforted her with a loving arm around her.

The court heard her husband had suspected for some time, saying she “flinched” and “froze” with some types of intimacy.

Ms Grealy said her mother told the woman she would not be supported if she went to police against Rowe.

The alleged victim was teary-eyed when she turned to look at her mother, sitting only a few rows behind her.

In her testimony, her mother said her daughter told her the repeated molestation “could have been a dream”.

Ms Grealy said the woman never said this, and instead told her mother: “It almost feels like it is a dream, and it feels so relieving to get off my chest”.

Defence lawyer Jon Tippett QC represents Kent Rowe in alleged rape case at Darwin Supreme Court. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

Defence barrister Jon Tippett QC said a charge and an allegation was “insufficient” to get a finding of guilt.

“Memory can be the great betrayer,” Mr Tippett said.

Mr Tippett compared “false memories” of losing ones’ keys to allegations of sexual abuse.

“False memories are part of being human, they magnify events that take place,” he said.

“(But) real memories have details.”

Mr Tippett was critical the woman was unable to clearly remember precise details about the alleged incidents.

Chief Justice Michael Grant told the jury that they would be given instructions on Tuesday before they could retire to make a verdict.

The jury will decide if the allegations of having sexual intercourse without consent with a close family member had been proven beyond reasonable doubt.