Man sexually assaulting a young girl denies allegations in court

A man accused of sexually assaulting a young girl staying in his home has denied the allegations.

The 57-year-old man, who can not be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of sexually assaulting the girl at locations in Co Waterford on dates between March 1991 and September 1995.

The accused man told his defence counsel, Mr Colman Fitzgerald SC, that when he was answering garda questions about the allegations he had been telling the truth.

Mr Fitzgerald put it to him he was being asked about events that happened a while ago and the accused said he had done his best to remember.

Mr Fitzgerald put it to him that the girl had alleged he had sexually assaulted her on a number of occasions in a shed, on a tractor and as well as another location.

The accused replied: “I never touched her, no I never did.”

He agreed that the girl came to stay with his family in the summer for maybe a week and she was friendly with his daughter. He agreed he would see her about the place and said she would be playing.

He told Mr Fitzgerald he had kept sheep until 1994 and afterwards sheep and a few calves.

Mr Fitzgerald put it to him that the girl had alleged that he would bring her three or four times a week up to the shed to feed animals and he replied “No, that did not happen.”

He said “I never did” when it was put to him that the girl had said he used to take her hands and make her masturbate him. Mr Fitzgerald asked him if he had ever pulled the girls pants down while driving his tractor and sexually assaulted her and he said he never had.

The trial continues before Judge Yvonne Murphy and a jury of one woman and eleven men.