Northern Ireland

Man sexually abused two young sisters, court hears

A 49-year old man has gone on trial in Belfast, accused of sexually abusing two sisters in the north of the city over two decades ago.

The man, who cannot be identified due to a reporting restriction, has been charged with - and denies - a total of 10 offences allegedly committed in the 1990s.

A jury at Belfast Crown Court was told by a prosecuting barrister that the alleged incidents occurred when the girls were aged around eight and ten.

Crown prosecutor Kate McKay said the accused was standing trial on 10 offences, including indecently assaulting the sisters as well as exposing himself to them.

Opening the Crown case against the accused, Ms McKay said the two sisters lived with their mother and brother and that on occasion they used to visit their neighbour's son, who was an adult and who lived nearby.

One of the complainaints alleges that when she was around eight, she was visiting the accused with her sister when the accused offered to give her a massage. He took her upstairs, told her to take off her top, then indecently assaulted her.

It is the Crown's case that he indecently assaulted her a second time when she was around the same age, with the next incident taking place a few years later, when she was aged 11. She claimed that he took her to Crumlin on several occasions on his motorbike and he would try to kiss her but she would desist.

Ms McKay said the final alleged incident against the older sister occurred when she was around 14. He is alleged to have taken her to his uncle's house where he indecently assaulted her.

The prosecutor told the jury: "After that, nothing more of a physical nature occurred between her and the defendant, but she didn't tell anyone about it until she was in her 20s, when she told a cousin of hers."

Regarding the younger sister, Ms McKay when this complainant was a child, he massaged her on one occasion "where she recalls being touched by him" and exposed himself to her twice.

The accused has denied all ten charged levelled against him.

At hearing.