Son never observed father acting inappropriate, jury told

The son of a prominent Niagara businessman accused of molesting teenaged boys maintains he never saw his father act inappropriately toward the youths.

Matthew Cairns, a 23-year-old university student, testified Wednesday in Superior Court of Justice in St. Catharines that one of the individuals who now accuses his father of sexual assault was a close friend and the two of them would tell each other everything.

At no time, he told the jury, did his friend disclose to him that he was being molested.

Jeffrey Cairns, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a number of charges including sexual assault and sexual interference. His case is being heard by a jury of seven men and five women.

The defendant took the stand in his own defence earlier this week and adamantly denied the accusations, insisting he was like a father to the trio who now accuse him of sexual assault.

One complainant, now 23, testified to nine incidents of sexual assault which occurred between March 2010 and 2011 when he was 14. He said one incident occurred when he was in the same bedroom as Cairns’ son. He said the defendant woke him and led him out of the room.

Cairns’ son said he doubts that event took place.

“I was a pretty light sleeper and infrequent sleeper,” he said. “If someone opened the door or entered the room, I would have woken up.”

The complainant also testified he was molested on a black couch in what he referred to as the piano room of the Cairns’ St. Catharines home.

Under cross-examination by assistant Crown attorney Robert Mahler, the defendant said there was never a couch in the music room.

“And, I’ve never owned a black couch, or any black furniture,” Cairns added.

Cairns’ lawyer Jonathan Shime entered a number of photographs into evidence which offered different views of the music room. None of the images showed a couch.

The photographs were taken in the spring or summer of 2017, court was told, when the home was being “staged” for sale.

A third young man, now 19, testified earlier via a video link that Cairns molested him for a number of years.

Matthew Cairns described that witness as appearing “depressed” at times and said the young man would often complain about his family’s financial situation.

“He was always saying he didn’t have enough money to buy new things or do the things he wanted to,” he said.

The trial continues today before Judge Paul Sweeny.