The defence team for a man accused of the sexual assault of a teenage girl in Mandurah will argue the accused’s alleged victim had been “smitten”, and made up claims after her “crush” was not reciprocated.
Shaun David Fairfield is on trial in the Perth District Court this week after pleading not guilty to five counts of indecent dealing and two counts of sexual penetration of a 15-year-old girl.
The charges relate to alleged incidents involving a patient at Peel Health Campus where Mr Fairfield was employed as a security guard in 2014.
On Monday the court heard Mr Fairfield was working the night shift at the hospital on May 16/17, 2014, when he took the girl, who was a psychiatric patient, outside for “fresh air”.
The pair were said to have not returned to the emergency department where the girl was a patient until well after midnight, having spent a long time outside, according to State prosecutor Tatiyajith Karunaratne.
A jury chosen to decide Mr Fairfield’s fate were told by Mr Karunaratne the accused sexually assaulted the girl while outside the hospital by touching her “private area”, showing her a photo of his genitals, and “grinding” against her, as well as sexually penetrating her twice.
All the alleged offences happened while the girl was in the care of Mr Fairfield.
Mr Fairfield denies all charges.
Defence counsel Genevieve Cleary told the jury her client had taken the girl out for a walk, but nothing sexual had happened between the two.
Ms Cleary said there was no footage of Mr Fairfield and the girl together, nor was there DNA or other forensic evidence.
The case was a matter of the alleged victim’s “uncorroborated word against [Mr Fairfield’s]”.
Ms Cleary suggested the claims made by the girl, which were not brought to light until close to four months after the date of the alleged offences, were a result of her being “annoyed and hurt her crush was not reciprocated”.
The first day of the trial saw six witnesses called, including the girl’s mother, a local security guard, and Peel Health Campus employees.
The alleged victim, who recorded her testimony before the trial, will be heard on Tuesday when the trial continues.
