Man's trial opens in Tamworth District Court for 2009 teenage sex allegations at Tamworth home

The man, now aged in his 30s, fronted the first day of his trial in Tamworth District Court on Wednesday, when the Crown and defence opened their cases.

He is fighting six sexual-related charges - including two alternate charges - stemming from one evening in 2009.

The Leader cannot legally identify the man to protect the identity of his alleged victim, who was underage at that time.

In her opening address, Crown prosecutor Kristy Mulley told a jury of 12 men and women that she expected the complainant would give evidence he had told a school friend back in 2009 that something had happened with the accused.

"Over the years that followed, [he] told a number of other people, and you will hear from them in this trial," she said.

She told the court the complainant had made a statement to police in 2019 after seeking treatment for declining mental health.

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The Crown case is that the pair were known to each other, and were part of a community group.

Prosecutors allege it had been arranged that on one evening in the first few months of 2009, the man, in his 20s at the time, would drop the teenager home.

Instead, they went to another address, where the man is accused of kissing the teenager before he "guided him into the bedroom", where the Crown says further alleged offending occurred.

Ms Mulley told the jury the complainant would give evidence that "he vomited" when he went home.

The Crown case is that some of the offending was aggravated because the teenager was under the authority of the accused at the time.

Barrister Rebecca Mitchell opened the defence case, telling the jury the man was facing "six serious" charges.

She said he denied "each and every" physical element he was accused of, and denied he "ever had any form" of inappropriate sexual contact with the complainant.

She told the jury that there was a recorded interview with police after they knocked on the man's door, where they asked him directly about the allegations, and he "comprehensively denied" them.

Ms Mitchell said the jury would have to believe the complainant's evidence - which was given in a closed court on Wednesday afternoon - beyond reasonable doubt.

"There will not be any forensic evidence in this case," she said. "Please scrutinise the evidence carefully."

Some of the detail in the trial cannot be reported for legal reasons.

Several witnesses are expected to be called. The trial continues before Judge Andrew Coleman.

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