ON TRIAL: Former Griffith mayor Mike Neville during the first week of his five-week trial at Sydney District Court.
THE two alleged victims in the sexual assault trial of former Griffith mayor Mike Neville have completed giving their evidence as the trial enters its ninth day.
A jury of 12 at Sydney District Court will decide the fate of Neville, who was re-elected to council last month, in a retrial which is set down for 25 days.
The Crown alleges Neville used his power as a probation and parole officer to indecently assault two women, now aged 28 and 52, in a number of incidents between 2003 and 2010.
Neville’s barrister Ray Hood has told the court his client strenuously denies the charges, saying the alleged victims were unreliable witnesses and many of the allegations came down to Neville’s word against theirs.
On Wednesday, the court heard in 2010 Neville picked the younger woman up from Pioneer Park – where she was doing community service – after she phoned him in a distressed state and asked to be taken to a women’s refuge.
Instead of taking her to a refuge, the alleged victim said Neville drove her to his home.
“I said. ‘where are we going?’ and he didn’t answer me. And then I knew what was going to happen,” the woman said.
She claimed Neville then watched her shower in his daughter’s bathroom before sexually assaulting her and giving her money to buy prescription drugs.
“He said: ‘here’s 50 bucks, go and get your presciption’, like (I was) a piece of meat,” she said.
After being asked by Mr Hood why she didn’t attempt to lock the door to the bathroom while she showered, the alleged victim replied: “Mr Hood, I was there for one purpose and one purpose only, because of Mike Neville’s enjoyment.”
The trial continues before Judge Laura Wells.
