Girl ‘upset and confused’ after alleged sexual abuse, court told

A CHILD was left upset, confused and disturbed after being repeatedly sexually abused, a court was told.

Gareth Jones, 49, denies five counts of sexually abusing a girl at Cardiff Crown Court.

Opening the case, prosecutor Nigel Fryer said the complainant was “extremely upset” when she first made the allegations.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police the alleged offending occurred “out of the blue”.

In a recorded interview, she told a specially trained officer she found his behaviour “confusing”. The alleged victim also stated she was “scared” of the defendant and described him as a “big man”.

Asked about how often the alleged abuse occurred, she told the police it happened between 10 and 20 times.

Mr Fryer said: “At that age, she just did not know what to do.”

He added: “It was certainly something that disturbed her.”

Jones was arrested on October 3 last year and interviewed by the police.

The court heard the defendant, who is married, said he was “horrified” when the allegations were put to him. He also told police he was “stunned” and “heartbroken”.

The defendant told officers: “I do not know why she has made these allegations up.”

Mr Fryer said: “They [the allegations] are, in his words, not true. He says flatly: ‘It did not happen.’”

The court heard the complainant has been affected by some mental health problems.

Jones, from Llys Tudful in Creigiau, Cardiff, denies all of the charges against him.

He faces three counts of assault by penetration of a child under 13, one count of sexual assault of a child under 13 and one count of sexual activity with a child.

The defendant is represented by barrister Anna Midgley.

The case, presided over by Judge Thomas Crowther QC, is before a jury of eight men and four women and is expected to last for about three days.

The trial continues.