An alleged child molester continuously chewed gum while staring straight ahead as the court heard last Thursday testimony of the devastation that his actions had caused in the lives of the young victim and his family.
The accused, who is in his 40s, is the stepgrandfather of the child.
He is facing charges of molesting the boy who was then about six years old.
The boy is now 13 years old.
The boy and his infant siblings were living with their maternal grandmother and her husband (the accused) in Secunda at the time.
The boy’s stepfather testifed in the Secunda Regional Court dealing with sexual offences on Thursday.
He spoke in English which was translated into Afrikaans for the accused.
The stepfather told the court that during the four years of the trial, the boy has been expelled from five different schools for stealing, watching pornography and exhibiting extreme sexual behaviour.
He can also not receive intense counselling until the trial is over.
He is currently in a detention centre in connection with the molestation and attempted murder of his sister.
They are waiting for a placement at Boys Town where the child can at least attend school.
Read the complete article in the Ridge Times newspaper on our website here.
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