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 Disney trial: jury told teen ''alone and vulnerable'' 

Disney trial: jury told teen ''alone and vulnerable''

08 Jul, 2009 12:06 AM
FORMER television identity Gavan Disney allegedly sexually preyed upon a teenage colleague who was "alone" and "vulnerable", a jury was told yesterday.

During closing addresses at the County Court in Ballarat, crown prosecutor Kieran Gilligan told the jury the alleged victim was barely an adult when he started working at BTV6, now WIN Television, and described him as alone, young and vulnerable.

He said Disney was infatuated with the 17-year-old and tried to lure him into a false sense of security by telling him "it was all part of show business".

Mr Gilligan said despite the alleged victim being keen and eager at work, he was not sexually confident and Disney took advantage of this.

The jury heard Disney, 60, allegedly squeezed the teenager's genitals, kissed him and forced him to perform oral sex on multiple occasions between 1980 and 1983 both at work and outside of work.

Mr Gilligan said the alleged victim did not complain about the alleged sexual assaults at the time, because it was extremely embarrassing and he would have lost his job.

He said former BTV6 colleague Frederick Fargher's evidence demonstrated there was a sexual relationship between Disney and the alleged victim.

Defence counsel Terry Forrest QC told the jury that after 30 years, it was easy to make up false allegations.

He said there were no witnesses to the alleged sexual assaults, apart from the alleged victim himself.

Mr Forrest told the court that the alleged victim had had three girlfriends during the time the alleged sexual assaults occurred. But he did not tell them about the allegations, except when he told one he had been groped on the bottom.

"(The alleged victim) was prepared to complain and the best thing he could come up with in 1981 is a grope on the bum," Mr Forrest said.

Mr Forrest also refuted Mr Fargher's evidence, telling the jury that he made it up to avoid "the horror of the dock".

The jury had earlier heard that Mr Fargher was charged with sexual offences relating to the alleged victim in 2004, but they were later dropped.

Mr Forrest told the jury the alleged victim's evidence was inherently improper, and questioned his accuracy and reliability.

Disney, who was a co-creator of Hey Hey It's Saturday has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and 13 counts of indecent assault. Last week, Judge Paul Lacava instructed the jury to acquit Disney on three indecent assault counts.

The trial continues today.

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comments


Date: Newest first | Oldest first
How sad for the victim.
Posted by pynch, 20/07/2009 11:46:30 PM

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