Gympie grandfather not guilty of rape, indecent treatment allegations
A jury has acquitted a Gympie man aged in his 50s of plying his young step-granddaughter with alcohol and then raping her.
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A Gympie region man has been found not guilty of charges he raped his 11-year-old step-granddaughter after plying her with alcohol.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the girl’s identity and is aged in his 50s, had been charged with rape and indecent treatment of a child under the age of 12, both domestic violence offences.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and a two-day trial was conducted in Gympie District Court last week.
Crown Prosecutor Alex Stark in his opening statement said that in 2022 the girl had gotten out of a pool at the home when the alleged offending happened.
Mr Stark said the girl told police the man had given her alcohol – “two Cowboys” and “another one” of unknown mix – after which she felt ill and fainted.
She alleged she woke up on the ground naked below the waist and with her legs spread.
The court heard the girl found what she could of her clothes and, walking into the home, saw the defendant naked except for a towel which he removed, exposing himself to her.
Mr Stark said the girl eventually told police, and was referred for a medical examination which revealed a “healed” injury consistent with vaginal penetration.
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The man’s defence barrister, in his opening statement, said their case came down to the simple argument “these things did not happen”.
He told the jury it would see, in the girl’s recorded evidence, that at times she did not know if she was remembering things or “wasn’t sure these things really happened”.
He told the jury they would see the girl was an unreliable witness.
On Friday the jury acquitted the man of both charges.
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Originally published as Gympie grandfather not guilty of rape, indecent treatment allegations
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