Mother gives evidence in groundskeeper child sexual abuse trial of Sibara Baragud

The mother of a young girl who was allegedly groomed and molested by a school groundskeeper has told a court the moment her daughter revealed she was assaulted.

Cairns Courthouse

The mother of a young girl who was allegedly groomed and molested by a school groundskeeper has told a court the moment her daughter revealed she was assaulted.

Sibara Baragud, 62, pleaded not guilty in Cairns to two charges of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and one count of grooming a child under 16 with witnesses providing evidence on day two of the trial on Tuesday.

The mother of the young teenager told the court her family knew Mr Baragud.

“He was a friend and we trusted him,” she said.

She described to the court the moment her daughter told her Mr Baragud had touched her inappropriately.

“It was the afternoon, I was in the lounge room with the girls and she came up to me and she said ‘Mr Sibara offered me $50 to play with him’,” she said.

Judge Joshua Trevino KC who resides over the trial of Mr Baragud, during a welcome ceremony in the Brisbane Supreme Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“I asked her what was happening before then and she said ‘nothing’.

“I thought maybe it was a misunderstanding or a miscommunication, so I asked her how it made her feel and she said ‘not safe’.

“That's when I said we need to come talk to daddy, something is not right.”

The mother said the father asked where she was touched and she pointed to her chest and vaginal area.

She then told the court the family talked about getting out of the community that evening.

In cross examination Defence Counsel Kelly Goodwin submitted to the mother, the girl had; “Not spoken about private parts whatsoever before she was asked questions by the father”, to which she agreed.

Mr Goodwin asked if Mr Baragud would help her and her family, including a time that he drove her to the hospital. She said he did.

He asked if she and her husband had made a phone call to the principal when Covid-19 was becoming an issue in the community.

“Your husband asked a question to the effect of if the community went into lockdown could the family leave,” he submitted.

She agreed, but said that it was in relation to if there was an emergency, could they leave and return.

Barrister Kelly Goodwin who represents Mr Baragud leaves the Cairns Courthouse. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Goodwin asked if it was her understanding there needed to be an emergency for her family to leave, to which she replied “I suppose”.

Mr Goodwin asked if her husband wanted to leave the community and live elsewhere, she denied and said he wanted to stay.

The principal of the school also gave evidence, speaking to the log book of the school vehicle confirming it was often used by staff including for runs to the dump.

She also confirmed the conversation with the parents about Covid-19 lockdown telling them there would have to be a serious or significant reason for the family to leave.

The principal confirmed Mr Baragud had a blue card and said she had no concerns about him working with children.

“He was punctual, and always carried out his duties to the best of his abilities,” she told the court.

“He was a respected Elder in the community.”

The trial continues.

Originally published as Mother gives evidence in groundskeeper child sexual abuse trial of Sibara Baragud