The trial of an Isle of Wight councillor charged with historic child sex abuse, is going into a second week.
Judge, Recorder Richard Onslow, will continue summing up the case on Monday, when it is also expected the jury will be sent out to decide on their verdict.
Pleaded not guilty
The 46-year-old defendant has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape between June 1990 and March 1992 and one of indecent assault of a girl under 13 years old, by having sexual intercourse between March and June 1990.
Earlier this week, the alleged victim told Isle of Wight Crown Court jurors the defendant had raped her twice as a child, when he was a child himself.
In a statement to police, the defendant said they used to play together as children, but he never touched her in a sexual way and did not know why she was saying he had done this.
No physical evidence
Today (Friday), Nick Tucker, prosecuting, said it was not a case where the jury had fingerprints, phone records, DNA or CCTV evidence to help decide, they instead had the word of the woman, who says the defendant raped her.
He conceded it was one person’s word against another but invited them to find the defendant guilty.
Mr Tucker said it may be the defence’s suggestion the woman was telling lies and questioned what her motive would be to do so.
Prosecutor: No reason to lie
He said,
“There is no reason for her to lie and every reason why she would not wish to make these allegations unless they were true.
“I invite you to conclude it is wholly implausible to suggest she is lying, she has no motive to do so, it was not her decision to go to the police.
“It is also wholly implausible to suggest she is mistaken about events of this nature, which she has described in such detail.”
Age of defendant
Mr Tucker told the jury, the prosecution placed the defendant as being over 14 in both incidents.
For the defendant, John Dyer said the prosecution had to prove the defendant was over 14 when the offences occurred or, by the law of that time, he could not be guilty of the rapes.
Suggestion tricks being played on mind
Mr Dyer said that was what was so difficult about the case, as they were being asked to determine a date 30 years ago and be satisfied the defendant was over 14 at the time.
He suggested the victim’s memory was playing tricks on her, she was deluded and she suddenly blurted the allegations out when no one suspected anything beforehand.
He said it might have been through counselling and the need to report the allegations that she thought she had to go through with it and it had snowballed ever since.
Dyer: Counsellors ‘Fortifies one’s beliefs’
Mr Dyer said he was not criticising counselling, but counsellors did not challenge what a person was saying which only ‘fortifies one’s beliefs’.
He also questioned why the victim had not come forward and complained of the assault at an earlier stage, instead of 30 years later.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
