Caregiver ‘freaked out’ and didn’t report abuse

An Oranga Tamariki caregiver who saw an adult man engaging in sexual acts with a 13-year-old boy says he did not report it because he was worried about how the situation would look when police showed up at his house.

This was the testimony of Malcolm Wayne Campbell, 50, yesterday on the third day of his trial on two counts of sexual connection with a young person and doing an indecent act. Campbell was originally also charged with supplying cannabis to the 13-year-old, but that charge was dismissed yesterday afternoon.

The Crown alleges Campbell took part in a ‘‘threesome’’ at his home with Josh Brady, who was 21 at the time, and a 13-year-old boy who had been in Campbell’s care for a few months previously. Campbell admits a sexual encounter between Brady and the boy took place at his home but denies he was involved.

Campbell told the court he had a ‘‘casual’’ sexual relationship with Brady that started shortly before Brady turned 18. During this time there were periods when Brady lived with Campbell. Brady and the young boy had met each other through Campbell and later started sending each other messages on social media.

Campbell told the court on the night of the alleged ‘‘threesome’’ he was in bed when Brady and the boy showed up at his home. At one point, the pair entered Campbell’s bedroom and started engaging in sexual activity on the end of the bed.

Campbell said he ‘‘bolted’’ to the lounge before going out to the garage to smoke cannabis. He said he was ‘‘disgusted’’ by what he saw, and knew what was happening was illegal. Prosecutor Will Taffs asked Campbell why he didn’t call the police at that time, and Campbell said he should have but he ‘‘freaked out’’.

He said he worried how it would look when authorities showed up at his home, found a 21-year-old engaging in sexual activity with a 13-year-old in a bedroom, and him, a man in his 40s, with only his underwear on. ‘‘What would people think?’’

Campbell said he had also lost faith in the police because he had been ‘‘brushed off’’ when he reported his concerns about inappropriate communication between the boy and Brady several weeks before.

Earlier yesterday, the court heard Campbell had called police and reported he was concerned that Brady might be grooming the boy and that he thought the pair were exchanging inappropriate messages. At the time, Campbell did not know whether Brady and the boy were in a sexual relationship and had no evidence that they were.

Campbell’s call was not investigated further because there was no evidence of a crime being committed.

Taffs suggested to Campbell the real reason he did not call police that night was because he had been involved in the sexual activity. Taffs said after that night, Campbell had supplied cannabis, cigarettes and alcohol to the boy, because he was afraid the boy might report their sexual encounter to authorities.

Campbell denied this and said he regretted not reporting the incident to police.

‘‘You were keeping yourself safe over keeping a 13-year-old boy safe. Do you accept this?’’ Taffs asked Campbell.

‘‘I’d have to reluctantly agree with you, Mr Taffs,’’ he replied.

The Crown and defence will deliver their closing statements today.