The accused was tried on charges of invitation to sexual touching, sexual interference, and sexual assault arising from alleged sexual abuse of a child family member during overnight visits at a relative's home.
Applying the W.(D.) framework, the court rejected the accused's blanket denial as implausible and found the complainant to be a credible and compelling witness whose account was supported in material respects by surrounding family evidence.
The court accepted that three incidents occurred when the complainant was five or six years old, including forced hand-to-genital contact and partial penile penetration.
The accused was found guilty on all three counts, although the first incident alone was insufficient to ground count one.