Ipswich man who allegedly raped, indecently treated niece stands trial

A trial has begun for an Ipswich man who has pleaded not guilty to raping, indecently treating and maintaining a relationship with his niece, beginning when she was only five.

A Ipswich man is standing trial for allegedly raping and indecently treating his niece from the age of five until she turned 11.

The 22-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the child, pleaded not guilty on Monday to three counts of rape, as well as indecent treatment of a child under 16 and maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child under 12.

A jury was empanelled and the Ipswich District Court heard the trial was expected to last three to four days.

Crown prosecutor Amanda Robinson alleged the man raped and engaged in sexual acts with his niece between 2013 and 2019.

The man was aged between 14 and 20 during the period of the alleged offences.

Ms Robinson said the girl had been a “typical tween” who liked to run and play.

She said the man, her uncle, liked to play too.

“(He) liked to play sexual games,” she said.

She alleged the man started abusing the child when she was about five, but the girl “did not realise” there was anything wrong with what was happening.

Ms Robinson said he would tell the girl they were playing the “mountain game.”

She alleged he would engage in sexual acts with the child in a cubby house at his home and in his bedroom, when the girl was visiting or during family events.

The man told his niece he would harm her father or her animals if she said anything about what happened, she said.

Ms Robinson said the girl told her parents after the secret “could not be held any longer” and police launched an investigation.

The man was charged with two counts of rape on dates unknown between February 2, 2013 and February 3, 2015, when he was aged about 14 to 16 and the girl about five to seven.

He was charged with raping and indecently treating the girl on or about May 18, 2019, when he was 20.

He was also charged with maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with the girl between August 8, 2017 and May 19, 2019, when the girl was aged about nine to 11.

Ms Robinson said the man could be charged with this offence after he turned 18, but the alleged conduct before he became an adult showed he had “sexual interest” in the child.

“That all seems pretty awful, and it would be if it were true,” defence barrister Craig Eberhardt said in his opening remarks.

He said the defence case was “pretty simple” — it did not happen.

Mr Eberhardt said there was no physical or DNA evidence supporting the allegations.

His client had made no admissions and denied the allegations when confronted by police at his home.

He said the child’s credibility was the central issue in the trial and that her version of events was contradictory and changed from her police interview to her prerecording of evidence.

The court was closed on Monday while the jury heard the child’s evidence.

Ms Robinson said over the course of the trial the court would hear evidence from the child’s mother, father, a police officer involved in the matter, the defendant’s mother and father (who is also the girl’s grandfather) and another uncle.

On Tuesday, the court heard evidence from people including the child’s father, who said he didn’t see anything suspicious at the times the offending was alleged to have occurred, but that he was also not “looking” for anything suspicious.

“I just believe my daughter,” he said.

The court heard the allegations had caused a rift in the family, with some members taking the side of the child and some supporting the defendant.

The trial will continue on Wednesday.

Originally published as Ipswich man who allegedly raped, indecently treated niece stands trial