Man denies sexual assault

6:17am Wednesday 23rd April 2008

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A MAN sexually assaulted a teenager while repairing a wheelchair at her home, a court was told.

Daryl D'Cruz, 62, is alleged to have rubbed his hands along the girl's thighs and kissed her on the cheek before trying to kiss her mouth.

D'Cruz, who works as a wheelchair delivery and repair man, is also alleged to have taken photographs of the 16-year-old girl on his mobile phone when he called at her home in Shoebury to fix the chair.

Laureen Fleischmann, prosecuting, told the jury at Basildon Crown Court yesterday: "You may well find this was sexual touching rather than what Mr D'Cruz said in his interview was being friendly'."

When he was arrested and questioned the defendant claimed he was a tactile person' and he took a photo of the girl to help her find a job in the care industry. Ms Fleischmann also told the jury: "It is for you to decide whether kissing a stranger, a young girl aged 16, while working on a wheelchair in a house, is a platonic piece of behaviour or whether it is in fact a great deal more."

D'Cruz, of Linnett Drive, Chelmsford, denies two counts of sexual assault on June 27 last year.

The trial continues.