Cardno guilty on 11 child sex charges

The defence case was that nothing sexual had ever happened and the complainants had invented the story. Photo / File

A jury has found Blair Stephen Cardno guilty of 11 sexual offences against young girls in Martinborough in the early 2000s.

The jury returned to Wellington District Court at 9pm last evening with the verdict.

Cardno, 49, was found guilty on 11 charges, including attempted sexual violation, sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection and inducing a girl under 12 years to carry out an indecent act.

He was found not guilty of two charges of indecent assault on a girl between the ages of 12 and 16.

Cardno had defended the charges, which the Crown said happened in Martinborough in the early 2000s.

The trial began on Monday at Wellington District Court.

Summing up for the jury this morning, Judge Arthur Tompkins said the Crown's case was the complainants' evidence was truthful and sufficient and that they had no reason to lie.
The Crown said the complainants "had not put their heads together, colluded and made false allegations", Judge Tompkins said.

The defence case was that nothing sexual had ever happened and the complainants had invented the story because of problems they were having in their lives at the time the alleged offences took place, Judge Tompkins said.

He said the defence also challenged the reliability of the complainants' evidence.
Cardno, who gave evidence earlier this week, denied all the allegations and told the court he was in a relationship when the alleged offences took place.
He's remanded on bail until sentencing on November 26.

- APNZ