Child abuse allegations were “a big shock”, woman told police

A 77-YEAR-OLD woman accused of sexually abusing a child decades ago told police that the alleged victim had “lost the plot” and said she didn’t understand why they had made these claims.

Denise Violet Pirouet denies 11 counts of procuring an act of gross indecency and four counts of indecent assault against a child.

Her Royal Court trial opened on Monday, with the complainant telling the jury that they had been in a sexual relationship with Mrs Pirouet but had not realised that they were too young to consent at the time.

The defence claims that the allegations are made up.

Yesterday, the Royal Court heard from the alleged victim’s mother and an ex-partner, who both claimed to have been contacted by Ms Pirouet in the years after the alleged offending.

And the officer in charge of the case, DC James Fowler, read out three interviews the police had led with Mrs Pirouet.

In them, she denied the allegations and said she was “flabbergasted”, “absolutely stunned” and that they were “a big shock”.

Mrs Pirouet repeatedly questioned whether the complainant was on drugs.

“That’s terrible,” she said. “I would never do that.”

She added: “I think [they have] lost the plot… I don’t know what is going on.

“[Have they] lost the plot with the drugs?”

Mrs Pirouet asked: “Have [they] got mental health issues?

“This is all like a fantasy. [Were they] having a fantasy?

“Why would [they] come up with this?”

The court also heard from a former partner of the complainant, who said Mrs Pirouet had said she had been in a relationship with the alleged victim in an unexpected phone call.

The alleged victim’s then-partner said: “I couldn’t believe what she was saying.

“I just hung up. I was actually quite upset, I was crying, I was upset, I was in shock, really.”

Mrs Pirouet denied that call ever happened.

The then-partner of the complainant further claimed that Mrs Pirouet had sent a letter, which was perceived as “a threat”.

The alleged victim’s mother also said she had been contacted by Mrs Pirouet in the years following the abuse.

Crown Advocate Carla Carvalho, prosecuting, said: “You started to receive unwanted phone calls from Mrs Pirouet.

“The contact was of a nature and degree that you and your husband sought legal advice.”

The mother agreed.

But she didn’t know many details of the alleged offending, as her child had been “very reluctant” to tell her.

Advocate Simon Thomas is due to present the defence case to the jury this afternoon.

Commissioner Sir John Saunders is presiding.