THE jury in the trial of a care manager accused of committing a string of historical sex offences against a boy under the age of 16 has retired to consider its verdict.
Donna Bentley (53) is alleged to have had sex with a male teenager at an age he “could not lawfully consent to sexual activity” on two separate occasions.
The defendant, who was in her 20s when the alleged incidents occurred, denies four counts of procuring an act of gross indecency and two counts of indecent assault.
Crown Advocate Carla Carvalho, who opened the case on Monday, told jurors that that the case involved “historical sexual abuse by an adult on a teenage child”.
Giving evidence later that day, the complainant said he had chosen to report the alleged sexual abuse after decades spent “ruminating” on his experience with Ms Bentley.
“I used to brag about it,” he told the jury. “I was so young and naïve at the time that I didn’t register it as sexual abuse until well into my 30s.”
Taking the stand on Wednesday, Ms Bentley admitted sharing a “passionate kiss” with the teenage boy on a single occasion, but denied broader accusations of historical sexual abuse.
She told the court that she remembered being “embarrassed” and “worried that she had overstepped the mark”, but insisted that she believed the complainant to be over the age of consent at the relevant time.
Jurors retired yesterday afternoon to consider their verdicts on the six charges.
Deputy Bailiff Mark Temple is presiding.
