Closing arguments
Crown calls alleged child victim credible witness
A man facing multiple alleged sex offences against a girl has chosen not to take the stand.
Paul Wilfred Manning waived his right to testify on his own behalf Thursday.
Final summations were delivered, and Chief Provincial Court Judge Nancy Orr said she would render her decision June 8.
Manning is standing trial on two counts of sexual assault, two counts of exposing his genitals to someone younger than 16, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.
The alleged victim testified in early March through closed-circuit TV. Her mother testified the following day.
The Crown also called as a witness a man the girl told about a disturbing incident involving Manning.
Crown attorney Nathan Beck, in his closing arguments, told Orr the girl did “a remarkable job of articulating’’ what she had experienced.
He argued the girl’s testimony was consistent and believable.
He said any inconsistencies of the girl during her testimony were minor and “do not go to the heart of the investigation.’’
Beck said the girl remained firm under cross-examination about her claims of sexual abuse by Manning in each of a number of specific actions.
He said no evidence was presented to suggest the girl had a motive to “make up’’ the allegations against Manning.
He also noted the girl’s mother did not have ill feelings towards Manning that would serve as a motive to accuse Manning of sexual offences.
Manning’s lawyer, Chera-Lee Hickox, said in her summation the case boils down to the credibility of a child witness.
She said the girl’s credibility was brought into question at different times in the trial, notably when the girl offered different versions of certain events.
Hickox concluded that based on all of the inconsistencies and improbabilities of the girl’s story, reasonable doubt has been established in the charges against Manning.
During her testimony, several videos of the girl’s interviews with police were shown in court, which included her descriptions of incidents involving Manning.
The girl told the police Manning touched her genitals several times.
During her testimony, the mother said the girl told her Manning made her touch him sexually.