The Crown Court trial of a 29-year-old Co Tyrone man accused of a string of child sex offences including the alleged rape of his niece began on Thursday.
The defendant – who cannot be named in order to protect the victim – appeared in the dock of Dungannon Crown Court before His Honour Judge Sherrard as the jury, who will determine the findings, were brought in.
The charges, all of which the defendant denies, stem from claims made by the defendant’s niece who was aged 12 at the time of the first alleged offence in 2017.
He faces a total of eleven charges including performing a sex act involving penetration, rape, causing or inciting a child to engage in sex acts, engaging in a sex act in the presence of a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sex act, sexual activity with a child, voyeurism, assault with the intent to commit rape and exposure.
According to the dates on the charge sheets, the alleged offending is said to have occurred over a three year period from 2017 to 2020.
During the hearing on Thursday (September 24), members of the jury were given an overview of their responsibilities by Judge Sherrard before hearing opening submissions from Mr Reid of the prosecution.
Jurors were also advised that they would be shown a video from an Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) interview between the witness and police along with a transcript of that video.
The trial is due to return to hearing on Monday, September 28.
