Nwicker60
13-Sep-12, 17:23
Sole reason - accused was desperate to get out of police station
A THURSO man, accused of sexually abusing a child, said the only reason he made a confession was because he wanted to get out of the police station as quickly as possible.
David Cunningham,33, told the High Court in Inverness, that he had panicked and that the confession was a lie.
The 33-year-old of Tormsdale Place, Thurso, denies sexually assaulting the child – she cannot be named for legal reasons – at a house in Elgin when she was six or seven, and he was 18 or 19. He is also alleged to have touched her inappropriately at an address in Thurso when she was a teenager.
The court hear a tape recording of a police interview in which Cunningham could be heard admitting to touching the girl, inappropriately, on various occasions over a six-year period.
However, when he gave evidence, yesterday, he denied sexual abuse saying: “I just panicked when I spoke to the police. I just froze. I wanted out of the police station. I don’t know why I said what I said.”.
During cross-examiation, Andrew Brown QC, accused Cunningham of lying in the witness box.
Cunningham said it must have been “pure coincidence” that he had been able to volunteer information that mirrored the woman’s claims. He added that he had only admitted to the allegations because he thought everyone would believe the victim, now a woman.
The defence has closed its case and the judge, Lord Stewart will address the jury, tomorrow.
A THURSO man, accused of sexually abusing a child, said the only reason he made a confession was because he wanted to get out of the police station as quickly as possible.
David Cunningham,33, told the High Court in Inverness, that he had panicked and that the confession was a lie.
The 33-year-old of Tormsdale Place, Thurso, denies sexually assaulting the child – she cannot be named for legal reasons – at a house in Elgin when she was six or seven, and he was 18 or 19. He is also alleged to have touched her inappropriately at an address in Thurso when she was a teenager.
The court hear a tape recording of a police interview in which Cunningham could be heard admitting to touching the girl, inappropriately, on various occasions over a six-year period.
However, when he gave evidence, yesterday, he denied sexual abuse saying: “I just panicked when I spoke to the police. I just froze. I wanted out of the police station. I don’t know why I said what I said.”.
During cross-examiation, Andrew Brown QC, accused Cunningham of lying in the witness box.
Cunningham said it must have been “pure coincidence” that he had been able to volunteer information that mirrored the woman’s claims. He added that he had only admitted to the allegations because he thought everyone would believe the victim, now a woman.
The defence has closed its case and the judge, Lord Stewart will address the jury, tomorrow.