Ex-CYF caregiver accused of abuse

File photo / APN

Sexual abuse of girls spanning 23 years is being alleged against a man who was employed as a Child, Youth and Family caregiver for foster children, in a two-week trial that began today.

John Alexander Lindsay, 60, has pleaded not guilty in Christchurch District Court to 11 charges including rape of a girl aged under 16, seven of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, one of attempted rape, and one of attempted sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.

Three women will give evidence in the next few days alleging sexual abuse at various South Island locations by the man from 1980 to 2003.

Crown prosecutor Anne Toohey said the women had no connection and did not know each other.

Defence counsel David Bunce said the court faced the problem that the accusations stretched back as far as 30 years.

"Who can recollect accurately details of their lives 30 years ago?" he asked.

"The detail that might confirm or rebut these allegations is very often lost in the distant past.

"Sometimes all you are left with is a denial. 'I didn't do that.' 'I don't behave like that'."

Mr Bunce asked the jury to keep an open mind to see how much of the complainants' stories unravelled as a result of the surrounding detail being examined.

Mr Bunce referred to the crown's disclosure that Lindsay had admitted a 2007 charge of sexual grooming and was still to be sentenced.

He bitterly regretted his inappropriate actions, in which the crown said he admitted taking photographs of a nine-year-old girl naked or dressed in a negligee.

That offence had resulted in a deluge of accusations against him.

"Every possible complainant from his past has been encouraged to come forward and add to this cascade of allegations."

But he said the grooming charge was only "marginally relevant" and Lindsay continued to deny the much more serious charges he now faced.

Miss Toohey said Lindsay and his wife had been employed as foster parents or caregivers from the late 1970s in Southland.

She detailed allegations of sexual abuse against a 14-year-old girl who came into their care there.

She said Lindsay had touched the girl and had sexual intercourse with her several times.

A second girl would alleged repeated touching and failed attempts to have sex. She tried to run away several times.

A third girl would allege Lindsay sexually violated her using his fingers, an act that she said happened at least every second weekend over a two-year period.

Miss Toohey said that unusually for cases of child abuse there were some witnesses corroborating the women's evidence.

They would say they saw Lindsay in bed with a girl, or having his hand under the covers of a girl's bed, or hearing him being told by one girl that he must stay away from her.

One witness would give evidence of staying at the house when she was in care and waking to find Lindsay by her bed, while the covers had been pulled down to her feet and her nightdress had been lifted up to her chin. Lindsay was standing by the bed looking at her.

The charges allege offending in Mataura, Gore, and Christchurch. Some are representative charges alleging repeat offending, and one alleges an attempt at anal intercourse.

- NZPA