Trial begins for South Burnett man accused of molesting daughter’s 14yo foster child

A South Burnett man who allegedly sexually abused the teenage girl fostered by his daughter has denied all charges before the Kingaroy District Court. Here’s what we know so far:

A trial is under way for a South Burnett man accused of molesting a teenage girl while she was living in foster care with his daughter.

The 54-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty to three counts of indecent treatment of a child under the age of 16 in the Kingaroy District Court.

It will be alleged the man, who the court heard was something of a “step-grandfather” to the 14-year-old girl, touched her breasts and slapped her bottom on three separate occasions across May and June, 2020.

The child’s former carer and accused’s daughter gave evidence on the first day of the trial, telling the Kingaroy court she became aware of the alleged offending when the girl pulled her aside in May, 2020 and told her the man “touched her on the arse” while with family on a South Burnett property.

“I told her to stay close and I’ll keep an eye on her so it doesn’t happen again,” she said.

The court was told the girl was allegedly groped again by the man at a South Burnett property less than a week later, which the witness claimed she saw happen.

“She saw this bottle and asked (the man) if she could have it,” she said.

“He turned around and said, ‘Sure, you can have it, but you have to give me a hug’. She said no.”

The witness said the 54-year-old proceeded to stand behind the teenager and wrap her in his arms from behind, cupping both her breasts in his hands and “pushing in tight”.

“His hands came around and she was standing stiff with her hands down beside her, and there was an expression on her face,” she said.

The man allegedly grabbed the teenager’s bottom a second time in June of the same year while helping her carer’s mother move house.

The Kingaroy court was told the alleged victim is no longer in the witness’s care.

The first day of proceedings also heard evidence from the South Burnett man’s ex-wife, with the alleged victim and a Kingaroy police senior constable also due to take the stand.

The trial is expected to continue through to near the end of the week.

Originally published as Trial begins for South Burnett man accused of molesting daughter’s 14yo foster child