A former maths teacher and religious leader accused of molesting a teenage girl who was part of his church congregation later wrote to her admitting his “lustful” feelings and apolgising for his hands “touching you where they shouldn’t”, a court has heard.
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David John Round is accused of putting his hand down the front of the girl’s swimsuit while they were in the Stanwell Tops Convention Centre pool during a church camp in 1989, then touching her on the genitals while instructing her in surfing at a Wollongong beach about 18 months later.
He is also alleged to have kissed the girl on the lips while dropping her home from the beach that day.
She was 13-15 at the time; Round was in his late 20s.
Round has pleaded not guilty to three counts of committing an act of indecency with a child under 16 years, under his authority.
The alleged victim told Round’s Wollongong District Court trial on Monday that she had been a “naive” young girl who had treated Round as her “confidant” and initially thought his alleged conduct had been an accident – especially when he allegedly apologised immediately after the swimming pool and kissing incidents.
“I assumed he said sorry because he hadn’t meant for his hand to be there,” she said, referring to first incident.
Meantime, she told the court she and Round had gone surfing at a Wollongong beach around the start of summer in 1991 when she felt Round’s hand slide between her legs and push against her vagina as he was helping her catch a wave.
“I was startled, I fell off the surfboard,” she said, claiming they returned to the shore immediately afterwards.
The woman admitted she didn’t speak to Round about the alleged incidents at any time during or after they apparently occurred and the pair continued seeing one another at church events, although less frequently as the woman became more focused on her schooling.
However, in 1994, the woman wrote to Round seeking an explanation for him apparently “ignoring” her and not giving her “a hug” when they met at church.
Round wrote back, admitting his lust for her and apologising for “let[ting] my hands touch you where they shouldn’t”.
The woman reported the alleged abuse to a church leader in 2013 who referred it to police. Round was arrest in early 2015.
In court on Monday, defence lawyer Phillip Boulten, SC, said Round had no criminal convictions against his name and denied all the allegations against him.
He confirmed Round would take the stand to give evidence in the defence case.
The trial, which is being heard without a jury, will continue before Judge Andrew Haesler on Tuesday.