A girl claims a Dunedin man gave her "a creepy massage" and offered to buy her a vape if she kept it a secret.
Daniel Erin Smith, 38, was on trial at the Dunedin District Court yesterday, defending five charges of sexual conduct with a young person under 16 and also sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.
Crown prosecutor Craig Power alleged that on April 21 and 22, 2023, Smith indecently touched the victim multiple times.
Mr Power told the jury Smith touched the girl’s bottom and thighs.
He allegedly lifted up the girl’s hoodie and gave her what she described as "a creepy massage".
The girl said Smith had been drinking and smoking throughout the night and was drunkenly murmuring when he later violated her.
She said she was confused about what he was doing, and her heart was "beating real fast".
"I just lay there because I didn’t know what to do," she said. "I was just scared and disgusted."
The victim said Smith offered to buy her a vape if she promised to keep quiet about what he had done.
Counsel Meg Scally reminded the jury her client was innocent until proven otherwise and urged them to keep an open mind.
"The defence is quite simply that Mr Smith did not indecently touch or sexually violate the complainant," Ms Scally said.
"These are serious charges and the Crown case is confronting, but remember there are always two sides to every story."
Judge David Robinson is presiding over the trial, which is expected to last three days.
felicity.dear@odt.co.nz , Court reporter
