A North Island man has gone on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting and attempting to rape his now 13-year-old stepdaughter over a five-year period.
The jury trial for the man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged victim, began in the Hamilton District Court today and is set down for seven days.
He is defending 22 charges, some of which are representative.
The man has denied three charges of sexual conduct with a child under 12, 13 charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, three of doing an indecent act with intent to insult or offend, two charges of sexual conduct with a person under 16 and one of attempted sexual violation by rape.
Crown prosecutor Geraldine Kelly told the court the offences are alleged to have been committed regularly over the years when the victim was aged between 8 and 13.