NT: Missing man fled after molesting young girl

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2007
NT: Missing man fled after molesting young girl

By Tara Ravens

DARWIN, Feb 14 AAP - A 69-year-old Perth tourist who prompted a missing persons search
in the Northern Territory fled after he was caught molesting a young girl in a hotel pool,
a court heard today.

The man was holidaying with family friends in Darwin earlier this year when he inappropriately
touched the 11-year-old, who pushed him away.

When asked by her father what he had done, the man replied: "I'm a nasty old bastard."

He then took off and was found six days later, on January 11, under bushes in Darwin city.

In Darwin Magistrates Court today, the man pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful
and indecent dealings with a child under 16.

Reading from a police charge sheet, prosecutor Dave Lewis said the man was known to
the girl and her family.

"The defendant arrived in Darwin from Perth for a vacation with the victim and her
family," he said.

"The defendant has known the victim for two-and-a-half years. He was considered a very
close friend and treated like a grandfather."

The young girl was having a spa with the elderly man on January 5, two days after they
arrived in Darwin, when he asked her for a cuddle.

"She cuddled him and then he placed his right hand down the front of her bathers and
proceeded to rub her pubic region," Mr Lewis said.

The young girl immediately told her brother and father of the incident, and the court
heard the man then fled the scene after he was confronted about what happened.

His defence lawyer Louise Bennett today requested a psychiatric report to be included
in his pre-sentence report.

When the man was found by police - following a number of missing persons alerts - he
was disoriented and lying under trees near the centre of the city of Darwin.

The elderly man was then taken to hospital "because he appeared disorientated and had
not take his medication for days", Mr Lewis said.

The court was not told why he was on medication.

Magistrate Sue Oliver ordered a psychiatric report and set down sentencing submission
for April 23. The man was remanded in custody.

AAP tr/jt/de

KEYWORD: SPA

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.