Accused tells jury claims did not happen as trial hears evidence about alcohol use and alleged controlling behaviour

A MAN accused of sexually abusing a child in Pembrokeshire more than fifteen years ago has denied the allegations while giving evidence at Swansea Crown Court.

Thomas Kirk, aged 50, of Meyler Crescent, Milford Haven, is accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a child aged between 13 and 15-years-old in the Pembrokeshire area between 2007 and 2008.

The jury has heard allegations that Kirk forced the child to perform oral sex, compelled her to remove her clothing and digitally penetrated her, leaving her distressed and in tears.

Kirk, who is originally from Scotland, gave evidence in his own defence and denied carrying out any of the acts alleged.

When the accusations were put to him directly, he told the court: “No, it did not happen.”

Alcohol use disputed

The court heard that Kirk, who has recently been employed as a grounds worker, has struggled with alcoholism for much of his life and accepted that there were periods when he could not remember what he had done the previous night.

Counsel for the prosecution, Robin Rouch, suggested that Kirk had been drinking heavily around the time of the alleged offences and that alcohol may have been a contributing factor.

Kirk denied this, telling the jury he had stopped drinking around 2007 and did not consume alcohol at home.

“I would have the occasional drink at work Christmas events, but I would never have alcohol at home,” he said.

“That is a lie, isn’t it, Mr Kirk?” Mr Rouch put to him.

“No,” Kirk replied.

The prosecution suggested that witnesses would say Kirk regularly drank vodka mixed with energy drinks and kept bottles of vodka at his home during the relevant period.

“It’s true, Mr Kirk, that you had a bottle of vodka in the house and were drinking vodka from a glass, wasn’t you?” the court heard.

“No, I wasn’t,” Kirk responded.

Allegations of controlling behaviour

The jury also heard allegations that Kirk became controlling towards the child after learning she had lost her virginity.

It was suggested he frequently checked her phone messages and attempted to control what she wore and who she spoke to.

“I was protective, not controlling,” Kirk told the court.

When asked whether he could think of any reason why the alleged victim would fabricate such serious allegations, Kirk said he could not.

Background to the case

Kirk first appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court in connection with the allegations in 2023.

At that hearing, he was charged with one count of rape and a further count of sexual assault involving a girl who was aged between thirteen and fifteen at the time of the alleged offences.

The court was told the offences were alleged to have taken place between May 2007 and May 2009 at an undisclosed address in the Pembrokeshire area.

Because both offences are indictable-only, magistrates sent the case to Swansea Crown Court for trial. No pleas were entered at that stage and Kirk was released on unconditional bail.

Later at Crown Court he pleaded not guilty leading to the trial this week.

On Tuesday, His Honour Paul Thomas KC, told the jury that legal summing up will take place on Tuesday (Dec 17), after which jurors are expected to retire to consider their verdict.

The case continues.