77-year-old man denies historic child sex offences

A FORMER director of a homelessness charity has been accused of historic child sex offences against a girl.

Peter Lewis, 77, a previous trustee of the Cardiff-based Huggard homeless charity, faces 16 counts of indecent assault dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.

The complainant in the case, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims the defendant touched her breasts, bottom and genitals between the age of nine and 17.

A police investigation was launched last year after she made an official complaint.

Lewis, of Station Road, Llanishen, denies the allegations. There is no suggestion the allegations relate to his role with Huggard.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Jones yesterday told Newport Crown Court: “The Crown say quite clearly she was a child and was groomed by the defendant up to the age of 17. He used her selfishly for his own sexual desires.”

He added: “(The complainant) remembers sexual assaults and sexual abuse beginning when she was around nine but certainly when she was 10.

“It began with him touching her legs and tickling her and progressed to touching her breasts and vagina under and over her clothing.”

Mr Jones said: “The Crown say the touching went on almost daily on his part to her.”

The complainant later told her mother of the alleged abuse she suffered. Police spoke to the defendant last August.

Mr Jones said: “The allegations were put to him.

“He denied them all. He did say that back at the time when he was being told of these allegations he had admitted he had sexually touched her breasts but all the rest were fabricated.

“The prosecution say he is denying all these matters and can’t face the truth of these allegations.”

A video was shown to the jury of the complainant telling police the allegations against the defendant, who was permitted to walk around the dock during the hearing due to a back problem.

During the interview, the complainant described a number of incidents where she claimed Lewis had sexually assaulted her.

She said: “I remember feelings of discomfort.

“He started touching me up my legs and tickling. I felt out of control and vulnerable.”

She added: “What felt worse than the sexual abuse was the how emotionally controlled I was... He would prevent me from seeing friends and he became jealous.

“He said he was a medium and had inherited Indian powers. On one occasion he got a penknife out of his pocket and cut his finger and my finger and rubbed them together and said ‘we’ll be joined forever’.

“He was like that every day – that sort of wickedness and control.”

The complainant also described how the defendant had told her that when he died he would come back as a robin and would watch her.

She said: “I know it sounds stupid but even now when I see a robin I think, ‘Is Peter dead?’.”

When asked by the officer how the alleged abuse made her feel, the complainant said: “I felt nervous and I didn’t know what was meant to happen.

“Sometimes it felt like a game but I was so anxious, really nervous and on edge.

“As I got older I felt angry and wanted it to stop. I felt like he was wearing me down.

“I never felt forced but I always felt coerced.

“Nothing he did or said was massively scary but I felt there would be repercussions.”

The trial continues.