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Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
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A man accused of sexually abusing
his deaf daughter for more than 20 years has escaped trial for a second time.
The man's trial on seven indecent
assault charges was halted last month when his daughter was found incompetent
to give evidence. The Crown claimed the woman had
not been able to disclose years of abuse till she learned sign language when
she was in her 20s. But Wellington District Court Judge Bruce Davidson said
it had become clear under cross-examination that she struggled with concepts
such as truth, lies and promises and did not understand the roles of judge,
lawyer or jury. He dismissed all but one of the
charges against the father. Yesterday, the remaining charge
was dismissed when police failed to present evidence against the man. His
name was permanently suppressed. |
