A TRIAL has been sensationally abandoned midway through the Crown case after prosecutors revealed all teen sex charges against a man would be dropped.
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The man, now aged in his 30s, walked free from Tamworth District Court on Monday after a three-year legal battle ended with his trial being aborted and the jury discharged after just two days of evidence.
The court heard the Crown had made a decision to end the prosecution of the six sexual-related charges - including two alternate charges - which stemmed from more than a decade ago.
The revelation came after the trial heard evidence in a closed court last week.
"What has happened is this - there is uncertainty about a particular matter in this trial," Judge Andrew Coleman told the 12 members of the jury on Monday.
"I discharge you, with the court's thanks."
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The Crown confirmed it had found the man had no case to answer, revealing it would not proceed with the charges, or the trial.
"The Director [of Public Prosecutions] has given a direction that no further proceedings are to be taken on the indictment against the accused," Judge Coleman said.
Judge Coleman discharged the man as well, and told him he was free to go. His bail was dispensed with.
The man had pleaded not guilty to all charges and was defending them at the trial, which opened on May 17.
The court heard at the time the Crown case was that the man drove a teenage boy to a Tamworth home, where he indecently assaulted him and had "sexual intercourse" with him on an evening in the first few months of 2009.
The Crown alleged the pair were known to each other through a community group.
The man's defence barrister said at the time the man did not deny knowing the teenage boy, but "comprehensively" denied "each and every" element of the allegations.
The man was charged after a police investigation was launched in 2019.
The trial was expected to run for a number of days, with several witnesses to be called, but was abandoned before the Crown case closed.
The jury did not return verdicts.
Some details of the matter could not be reported for legal reasons.
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Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
