26-year-old accused of inappropriately touching pensioner takes stand

Wednesday 23 June 2021

A 26-year-old man accused of inappropriately touching a pensioner has taken to the stand to deny the allegation and apologise for "accidentally" scaring his accuser.

In the second day of his trial, Charley Mills said his accuser - a woman in her 60s - had been lying when she said he had sexually assaulted her by touching her bare bottom with one hand and her covered private parts with the other.

This is alleged to have happened in a basement car park of a block of flats on 4 November last year, when the woman and her friend were parking up their mobility scooters in a secure cage and covering them with a tarpaulin.

Questioned by his own lawyer, Mr Mills said he had drunk about eight cans of beer in the morning before entering the block of flats at around 15:00. He said he had taken to drinking to cope with anxiety and depression after splitting up with a woman who lived in the building.

He had gone there “to try to fix” the relationship - even though, by doing so, he was breaking a bail condition imposed by the Magistrate’s Court a month earlier, after being charged with illegal entry into her apartment in May 2020.

His former girlfriend was out and, desperate for the toilet, Mr Mills said he went down to the car park to urinate. 

However, the two pensioners were in a corner, storing their mobility scooters.

“I approached them and offered help to them to get their scooters in or out,” he told Advocate Julia-Ann Dix. “I was trying to speed the process up, without openly saying, ‘I need the toilet.’ I asked if they would like a hand, which I didn’t get a reply to.

“I possibly accidentally touched one of the women but certainly not in any sexual manner. I was trying to be polite and helpful.”

At this stage, Mr Mills admitted that he “half-wet” himself and he then “rearranged himself” with his hands. He denied “playing with himself” - something his accuser said he had done as she hurriedly left the area to return to her third-floor flat.

Asked if he would like to apologise to the woman, he said: “I would like to say sorry for approaching with my hood up and coming across like that. 

“I meant nothing other than trying to be helpful. I want to say sorry for approaching her and making her feel scared.”

Cross-examined by Crown Advocate Mike Preston, Mr Mills denied that he had become frustrated because his ex-girlfriend had not been at home. 

He also denied having a sexual interest in older women and asking if another resident who passed him as he stood outside his ex-girlfriend’s flat if she wanted a “cuddle”.

This, he said, was directed at his former partner as he called for her through the letterbox.

Mr Mills did, however, admit to lying to police officers at interview, telling them he had been fishing in the morning of 4 November and he had not gone to the block of apartments.

This was because, he said, he was frightened of the consequences of breaking his bail conditions. 

The jury of seven men and five women is expected to retire to reach a verdict today.