Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Polish Man, 63, accused of sex assault on teen

A TEENAGER was sexually assaulted by a man 50 years older than her after he accosted her on a bus as she was going to school, it has been alleged.

Fernando Dias, 63, struck up a conversation with the 13-year-old girl as she was travelling to her Ipswich school and when she missed her stop he persuaded her not to go to school and to go for a cup of tea with him instead, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Stephen Dyble, prosecuting, said that while they were on the bus Dias, a Polish national, told the girl that if she ever needed money she could go to him and had put ?5 in her pocket.

While they were having a drink Dias had allegedly started stroking the girl's leg and although she was unsettled by what he was doing she had agreed to go back to his flat.

There they had watched television but when the girl said it was time for her to go Dias had allegedly grabbed hold of her and “gripped” her buttocks.

“He said 'Let's make love' and had tried to kiss her on the face and around her neck,” alleged Mr Dyble.

The girl pushed him away and a complaint was made to the police after she told relatives about what had happened.

Dias was arrested and denied ever meeting the girl or inviting her back to his flat. “He said it was made up or a case of mistaken identity,” said Mr Dyble.

Dias, of Parliament Road, Ipswich, has denied sexual activity with a child and two offences of sexual assault.

Mr Dyble said that two months after the alleged attack on the schoolgirl Dias had allegedly carried out sex attacks on a 77-year-old pensioner and a 50-year old woman.

He claimed that Dias, who had been drinking, had gone into an office where the women were having a meeting and had put his hand under the pensioner's top and touched her breast and had then tried to kiss the other woman's breasts and put his hand up her skirt.

He said the alleged incident was witnessed by a man who had been with the women at the time.

Dias had later denied the assaults on the two women and claimed he had been elsewhere.

The trial continues today.
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