Court hears of indecent assault

A SOUTHERN Tasmanian teenager “just needed someone to talk to” when he befriended a man more than 20 years his senior who is now accused of indecently assaulting the boy, a Hobart court has heard.

The man has pleaded not guilty to one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape and one count of assault in incidents alleged to have taken place during 2008.

The Supreme Court heard the boy, who was about 14 at the time, first met the man at a party at Moonah and they went on to establish a friendship.

The boy would sometimes skip school to “hang out” with the man who he said would buy him alcohol, marijuana and a mobile phone to contact him on.

One evening at the man’s home, it was alleged the man tried to kiss the boy and his two female friends.

The court heard the accused insisted all the teens sleep in his bed and the boy allegedly woke up during the night to find the man indecently assaulting him.

Several weeks later, the accused gave the boy a ride home in his car, but part way home he told the boy he “owed him” before allegedly pushing him to the ground and forcing him to briefly perform oral sex.

It is also alleged that the accused later assaulted the boy by throwing a bottle at him, pinning him to the ground and breaking his little finger.

The complainant, now aged 22, told the court that at the time he befriended the man, his father was suffering mental ill health and his stepfather could also be “quite abusive.”

“I just really needed someone to talk to,” he said.

The accused’s lawyer said none of the alleged incidents had occurred.