Leyburn man Evan Thomas found not guilty of historical groping claim
A Leyburn man accused of a confronting indecent assault on a teenage boy has been found not guilty by a jury of his peers.
Police & Courts
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A travelling biscuit salesman accused of groping has been cleared of all charges after a Toowoomba jury ruled in his favour.
On Tuesday, July 15, the 66-year-old Leyburn man pleaded not guilty to two charges of indecently dealing with a boy under the age of 15 before a Toowoomba District Court.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions ultimately withdrew one charge after the complainant told the court he could not remember the exact details of his alleged encounter with Mr Thomas.
The remaining complainant accused Mr Thomas of following him into a bathroom and groping his privates for around five to ten minutes when he was a teenager.
During the course of the trial, the court was told allegations that Mr Thomas showed an interest in the teen boys he would meet while working as a travelling biscuit salesman across Toowoomba, Dalby, Chinchilla, Roma, and Charleville.
The Crown argued Mr Thomas would gift teenage boys expired biscuit packets and invite them back to one of his rural Queensland properties.
A number of men who knew Mr Thomas when they were teenagers told the court they would visit him at his properties for recreational purposes.
Mr Thomas denied ever entertaining teenagers at his homes, with his barrister Levis Menolotto stating the allegations were lies.
Mr Menolotto questioned inconsistencies between the complainant’s evidence on the stand compared to the evidence he provided police prior to the trial.
The barrister further questioned why police were not notified of Mr Thomas alleged sexual abuse on the child until more than two decades later.
Deliberation began on Thursday afternoon, with the jury reaching a decision at 11.10am on Friday, July 18.
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District Court sittings at Toowoomba, July 18
Here is a list of District Court sittings at Toowoomba on July 18