Men plead not guilty to sexually abusing a deaf complainant over a 17 year period

Seven men have pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to dozens of charges of sexually abusing a deaf complainant over a 17 year period.

One of the men is also accused of sexual misconduct against two other complainants, the court heard. The trial is estimated to sit for four months and will continue into the new year.

The extended panel of 15 jurors was partially empanelled on Friday and a further two jurors were empanelled on Tuesday. The jury has been told the main complainant in the case is deaf and that she will require two interpreters and an intermediary.

The seven men, who are aged between 32 and 55, have pleaded not guilty to a combined total of 103 charges against them. The allegations pertaining to the main complainant span a time period from 1996 to 2013.

None of the parties in the case can be named for legal reasons.

The first man (55), who will be referred to as Accused A, pleaded not guilty to one count of raping the main complainant on a date between December 2009 and April 2011.

Accused B, aged 48, pleaded not  guilty to a total of eight charges – five counts of rape, one count of oral rape and two counts of anally raping the main complainant on dates between December 2008 and December 2010.

The third man (34), who will be referred to as Accused C, pleaded not guilty to a total of 50 charges against him. He pleaded not  guilty to 45 charges against the main complainant on dates between February 2001 and December 2013 – 22 counts of rape and 23 counts of anal rape.

This man also entered not guilty pleas to one count of anally raping another female on a date between September 2013 and September 2014 and four counts of sexual assault, rape and anal rape of a third complainant on dates between September 2005 and July 2019.

Accused D, aged 33, pleaded not guilty to a total of 22 counts – 19 counts of rape and three counts of anally raping the main complainant on dates between January 2002 and December 2013.

Accused E, aged 32, pleaded not guilty to a total of 16 counts – seven counts of rape and nine counts of anally raping the main complainant on dates between April 2003 and December 2011.

Accused F, also aged 32, pleaded not guilty to a total of five counts - three of rape and two counts of anally raping the main complainant on dates between December 2007 and April 2010.

Accused G, aged 45, pleaded not guilty to one count of raping the main complainant on a date between December 1996 and December 1997.

The trial continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs and an extended jury panel of 15 jurors.