Trial continues for James David Perry after pleading not guilty to child sex offences

A young woman has taken to the witness stand to describe the night a man allegedly “pushed” her into sex when she was 14-years-old. What the court heard:

James David Perry is standing trial in the Burnie Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to charges of rape, penetrative sexual abuse of a child or young person, and indecent assault. Picture: Elise Kaine

A young woman has broken down in tears on the witness stand while describing the night she was allegedly raped when she was 14-years-old.

James David Perry is standing trial in the Burnie Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to charges including 8 counts of rape, 6 counts of penetrative sexual abuse of a child or young person and 2 of indecent assault.

The crimes were alleged to have occurred in 2018-19 against six school-aged girls.

On Friday the court heard Mr Perry “pushed” an alleged victim to have sex with him on the side of the Bass Highway near Leith, despite her telling him that she didn’t want to and reminding him he had a girlfriend.

The alleged victim was 14-years-old at the time.

The girl said she asked Mr Perry for a lift to Ulverstone. Soon after he started touching her leg and asked her to have sex with him.

Burnie Magistrates and Supreme Court. Picture: Elise Kaine

“He would put his hand on my thigh and try and rub my leg while he was driving,” she said.

The young woman said she eventually “agreed to it so he would stop harassing me”.

Mr Perry then allegedly pulled off the highway, put on a condom and raped her.

“He did it and then we left and went to Ulverstone,” she said.

When questioned about what she meant by “it” the witness asked for a minute before proceeding to burst into tears.

Acting Justice Porter asked the witness if she needed a short break but she said no and continued her evidence.

“He pulled over, I just laid back on the passenger seat and he undressed himself. He put his own condom on and then he put his doodle inside of me and once he was finished he took the condom off, chucked it out the door and we left.”

James David Perry is standing trial in the Burnie Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to charges of rape, penetrative sexual abuse of a child or young person, and indecent assault.

Mr Perry’s defence counsel Greg Richardson suggested to the woman there was never an occasion when James Perry sexually assaulted her.

She said that was false.

Mr Richardson suggested the victim had misrepresented her age on Facebook.

The victim said she only changed her date of birth in order to access Facebook.

Another witness said Mr Perry used to buy him and the young girls “alcohol and smokes”.

He said on one occasion he witnessed Mr Perry talking sexually to the young girls including saying “dirty things” and asking for a “threesome”.

The witness said the girls did not “really understand what he was talking about”.

The trial continues on Monday.