‘She’s telling lies’: man denies sexual abuse

A GIRL who claims she was sexually abused for four years says she remembers the man’s uncut fingernails and the pain he caused her.

Dunedin cleaner Aniket Sumeet Kumar (22) is on trial in the Dunedin District Court facing six charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection (plus an alternative charge of attempted sexual violation) and eight charges of doing an indecent act with a child under 12.

The alleged offending began in 2012, Crown prosecutor Craig Power told the jury in his opening address yesterday.

He detailed the claims made by the young girl, many of which are too graphic for publication.

The complainant was interviewed by police in August 2016, when she told them Kumar would squeeze her neck and mouth to kiss her.

She also described incidents of ‘‘humping’’, when the man would allegedly make her pose ‘‘like a cat’’ before violating her.

Mr Power told the jury the girl recalled specific details.

On one occasion, she claimed she was abused while watching the movie Night at the Museum and told police she remembered his uncut fingernails, which had hurt her.

It is alleged Kumar would commit the sexual acts while the girl’s parents were in another room just metres away.

When he heard them coming, she said, he would replace his clothes and hers.

Police became involved when the complainant made disclosures to a teacher aide.

She told the teacher, who spoke to the deputy principal, who in turn informed the authorities.

When Kumar was originally spoken to, he said: ‘‘I did nothing. It was lies. Why would you believe a 9yearold?’’

At the station he maintained his stance. ‘‘I’ve done nothing. You’ll find nothing. She’s telling lies,’’ he said, before exercising his right to silence.

Defence counsel Anne Stevens said her client emphatically denied the charges and the girl’s account was ‘‘unbelievable, not credible and unreliable’’.

She stressed there was no medical or scientific evidence linking the defendant to the alleged crimes.

A genital examination of the girl showed no abnormalities.

Forensic scientists were also called in to comb the complainant’s house for traces of seminal fluid, Mr Power said. Nothing was found in the house’s various bedrooms and the only samples they gathered, from the bathroom, came from the girl’s father.

The girl also told police Kumar had played videos showing ‘‘sex and stuff’’ on his iPad.

Mrs Stevens said police analysis of her client’s device found nothing to corroborate the complainant’s account.

The trial, before Judge Michael Crosbie and a jury of eight women and four men, is scheduled to last four days.