Trial ongoing for man facing sex-related charges

A St. Catharines man has pleaded not guilty to three sexrelated charges involving a female under the age of 16.

Christopher Perkins, 38, is charged with sexual assault, sexual interference and sexual touching relating to allegations that took place between Sept. 1, 2013, and May 31, 2014.

A publication ban prohibits naming the victim or any information that may lead to her identity.

The alleged victim, who is under 14 years of age, gave a videotaped statement to police in March 2015. That statement, which lasted about 45 minutes, was viewed on Tuesday in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines.

The Crown’s case is being prosecuted by Holly Nickel and Perkins is being represented by defence lawyer John Bothwell.

After the police video was viewed, the young girl testified from a nearby room and her evidence was played on a closed-circuit television that was viewed from inside the courtroom by Judge Peter Wilkie.

Court heard of several incidents that allegedly took place inside a car, a home in St. Catharines and a motel room in Kitchener.

The girl testified that on one occasion she had been sleeping on the couch, woke up at about 2 a.m., and found Perkins touching her breast over her clothing.

“I didn’t expect him to be doing that,” she said.

Another time, when Perkins and the girl had gone to pick up a friend who was living out of town, she said they stopped at a motel in Kitchener at which time he made sexual advances.

“He said he wanted to have sex with me,” she said, adding Perkins had also brought along an adult sex tape, but he never got a chance to play it because the motel did not have a DVD player.

“Thank God, they didn’t have one,” she added.

Court heard the girl later talked to an adult about the incidents and police were called to investigate.

The trial continues today, but the defence does not expect the case to finish by the end of the day. tricciuto@postmedia.com