Two of five defendants gave evidence on 24 September in a High Court trial over alleged sexual offences involving a girl who was 14 at the time. The offences are alleged to have taken place between 3 May and 2 June 2023. All five defendants face charges of sexual activity with a minor and indecent assault, with two also facing additional charges.
The first defendant said he and the girl only talked in a hotel room and denied having sex. The second said he believed from their telephone conversations that she was between 18 and 20, but learned in the hotel room that she was 14. He told the court that he refused sex and other sexual activity, and that he then watched television while she used her phone.
The prosecution questioned why he did not leave the hotel or check out after learning the girl’s age. He replied that, looking back, leaving would have been the better course.
The third defendant was expected to give evidence on 25 September as the trial continued.